Never looking back
by aureaborealis
Summary: Aura is a very special girl. She has a very special heart. It can change fate's design, heal the sick and help the innocent. Running away from the Evil Queen, she searches for people who can help her find a place where Regina can't find her. When she comes to Neverland, will her heart stay pure or will it turn as black as the teenager who never wants to grow up?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everybody! **

**first of all, to anybody who saw the last episode of 'Once upon a Time': WHAT THE HELL? WHY DOES EVERYBODY HAVE TO BE RELATED TO HENRY? WHY IS THE DEVIL-SEXY PETER PAN A CREEP, WHO IS ALSO RUMPLE'S DAD? (end of being sooooo angry at the writers, it was the most horrible plot-twist)**

**Anyway, after I read another panfiction called 'When One Day is Equal to a Thousand' by YouSaid (which by the way, is really amazing, go read it!), I wanted to write my own. So this idea was stuck in my head. **

**And in this panfiction, Peter Pan is not Rumple's dad, he is the devious, evil, sexy teenager with amazing eyebrows, who never wants to grow up. :)**

**I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly,I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Prologue

I was running. Always looking forward. Not back. Never ever. Hadn't I always been on the run? The night was cold. And dark. Tears were running down my cheeks. Branches were scratching my face, I could taste the blood in my mouth. My heart was beating faster than ever, almost as if it was ready to escape my body. This was all irrelevant to me. I just needed to reach the Enchanted Forest, run away. My new sanctuary. They would be looking for me now, but they wouldn't find me. Not now. Not ever.

This was all just the beginning. The beginning of my end.

Chapter 1

My bag was banging against my back. My heart was beating so hard, it was going to explode. My heart, something the Evil Queen desired. Something she would never get. The salty tears had dried, the bleeding in my mouth had stopped and I was more careful not to hit any branches with my face.

Soon my feet were exhausted of running. My lungs exhausted of breathing. My sprint turned into walk, and then I abruptly stopped. A quick glance to my sides confirmed that no one was following me. I collapsed to the ground, the wet moss softed my fall. At last, no more running. For now.

_'Mother, what's wrong?' I asked curiously. _

_She was acting strange. Tense and scared. She was packing a bag, filling it with food and maps. And my favourite book. Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. Every night I would sit by my window and wait for Peter Pan to visit me. To take me to Neverland. I would fight with pirates, dance with indians, sing with mermaids and hunt with the Lost Boys. And never grow up. But he never came. And I had to grow up._

_'The Evil Queen is coming. For us. For you. For your heart.'__ She stated blunty. _

_'The food will last you a week. Ration is wisely. The maps will lead you to different people who will help you and this-' she held up a necklace with a locket __'will remind you where you come from.' Her eyes were full of sadness. And I was feeling uneasy._

_'Mother, what's happening? Why does the Evil Queen need my heart? Mother?' I was afraid._

_She handed me the bag and gave me the necklace._

_'Dear child, you know I love you. I will always protect you. I really wish I had more time to tell you about life outside this cottage. How dangerous it is out there. The Evil Queen, she is wicked. She will go to great lenghts to get what she wants, what she needs for her plans to destroy Snow White. You are very special. Your heart can change fate's design, it can heal the sick and help the innocent. Something the Queen doesn't want. So you have to be out of the picture.'_

_I embraced her, never wanting to let go. I didn't want this to be our last goodbye. _

_'Mother, come with me.' I struggled to hold back my tears._

_'Use the back door, I can feel her presence nearing. Go now!' She pushed me to the direction of my escape._

_'I love you, Mother.' I whispered, looking into her beautiful blue eyes. I would never forget those orbs._

_'Never forget me, Aura. I love you with my whole heart.'_

_Suddenly, knights burst into our cozy cottage, and in stepped a woman. Her black attire made her look dark and evil. I guessed it was the Evil Queen. _

_She approached my mother and then all hell broke loose. _

_The knights were coming to get me, and the Evil Queen dug into my mother's chest. How was that even possible? Everything happened it mere seconds. She was holding a red glowing thing in her hand, while my mother slumped to the ground. I looked closely and saw it was a heart. I made me sick to my stomach. The Evil Queen crushed the heart slowed, while my mother let out a guttural scream, the once glowing heart full of life turned to grey ash. I realized my mother was dead._

_Then I took off, before the knights caught me._

I woke up abrubtly. A single tear slid down me cheek. The only person I loved was dead. Killed by the Evil Queen. Who was coming for me. I would not give in so easily. If my heart was so special, I would not let it turn black.

Determined, I took a map out of the bag.

It showed all the seven kingdoms and the sea. A mark and a name were written close to the only harbor on the map.

_Killian Jones_

I stood up and set out to find him.

**So, this was the first chapter! Feel free to review, cause these things make my day! **

**Till next time, I'll try to post weekly since school is being a b**ch, and I also have a life (just kidding haha).**

**Love to all readers,**

**auraborealis**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, the response to just the first chapter was amazing. Thank you for all the reviews, follows and favourites! I smiled the whole day like an idiot.**

**I sat down and wrote the second chapter. Here it is :)**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story.**

Chapter 2

It was still dark when I reached a hilltop in the middle of the Enchanted Forest. I didn't even know if I was walking towards my destination or running around in circles. I let out a sigh and slid to the ground. My long golden hair was annoying me, so I picked out all the leaves and moss that was stuck and braided it. Like mother would.

Everything that led to my new life of running away and finding people happend mere hours ago. I had lost everything that mattered to me. The powerful Evil Queen, who had ripped out and crushed my mother's heart, was still looking for me. She would use me. Kill me. No, I would not let her find me. I needed to find a safe place. But first I had to meet Killian Jones.

_'Mother, what about my bedtime story?' I asked. _

_With my small hands I held up a big book. Some pages were already missing, the book was falling apart, but my mother didn't actually need the book to read to me. She knew the story by heart. She simply rolled her eyes._

_'Little one, isn't it tiresome to hear the same story night after night? I think it's time to put that book away and forget about it.' She reached for the book._

_'No! Please, mother. I was good all day, I helped you in the garden, I cleaned my room. I promise, this is the last time I ask. Please?' I handed her the book and a hairbrush._

_It was part of my rountine before I fell asleep. Beg mother to read me my bedtime story, convince her I would never ask again, let her brush and braid my long hair, ask questions, listen to my mother's voice and drift into my dreams._

_Mother wanted to say something, but she decided not to. Her blue eyes shot me a meaningful look. Whatever she wanted to say was important, she was not telling me something. _

_But I did not dwell on that. Mother didn't tell me many things, like who my father was, that's why reading bedtime stories was important to me. She would concentrate on braiding my hair and if I was lucky, an answer to my countless questions would slip from her lips._

_I sat down by the fire in my nightdress and soon after, mother started brushing my hair and began with the bedtime story._

_'Once upon a time, there was a boy who had nobody. A green fairy, let's call her Tinkerbell, felt empathy for the lost boy, and brought him to Neverland...'_

_Somewhere in the middle of her story-telling, I interrupted her with a question._

_'Mother, why did you call me Aura?'_

_'Well, dear child, your name means 'bright light' and 'golden'. The day you were born, I had seen the most beautiful and brightest sunrise. And your hair, well, it's golden. It is your halo. Sometimes I believe you were an angel sent from heaven. My Aura. I love you, dear one.' She responded._

_'I love you too, Mother.' _

Sunbeams were shining on my face. I had fallen asleep, again. Yawning, I rubbed my eyes, while they adjusted to the bright light. _Your name means bright light. _Unknowingly, I touched my braid. _And your hair, well it's golden. _

'Hello dearie, what marvelous hair you have!' I heard a high-pitched voice behind me. It sounded like a child.

Startled, I quickly turned around. The voice did not fit the man standing in front of me. He was hideous, his skin was green-gold. His suit was made of snake or crocodile like skin. His dark amber eyes were full of curiosity. I did not like that look.

Then I remembered. He was the Monster. He was the Crocodile. He was the Dark One, someone not to be messed with.

**Reviews are always appreciated. I'll try my best to update sooner, love you all :)**

**aureaborealis**


	3. Chapter 3

**I was on a roll today. And I love Rumplestilskin. **

******Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 3

Mother had told me about Rumplestilskin. The Dealmaker. The Crocodile. The Dark One. The Monster who still acted like a child. He was worse than the Evil Queen, because he had taught her about magic.

He started walking around me, circling me, inspecting me. He was the hunter, I was the prey.

My head was going through each scenario of escape, but since I had no weapons, running away was my only option.

'Ah, ah, ah dearie, running away won't help, I have magic, remember?' The Dark One giggled.

This was all child's play to him. I grabbed my bag and stood my ground as he slowly approached me and searched for my eyes. It felt like they were staring into my soul. I looked into his eyes defiantly.

'Viridian green, full of fire. During my time as the Dark One, which is really a long time, I have only seen two people with that eye-color.' He stood right in front of me.

Towered above me. Showed me he was dangerous and to be feared, not someone to play games with.

'Yours and..' He paused dramatically.

'your father's.' He inspected his talons, he looked bored.

My mask of emotion faltered. My father? Was he still alive? Why wasn't he with me? Why..?

'So many questions, but so little time, I'm afraid. But the real question is, why am I here? Certainly not to keep you company.' He quipped.

Oh right. He's called the Dealmaker for a reason.

'Well, Aura I assume,' Rumplestilskin pointed to my head. To my hair.

'I noticed that you're quite lost. Maybe a magical compass to help you find the person you need most at the moment...,' purple smoke was evaporating from his hand and seconds later he held said compass in his hand.

'Right now, I would say you're looking for a _pirate._' He spat out in disgust.

I eagerly grabbed for the compass, but he held it just out of my reach.

'Dearie, remember: Magic always comes with a price.' He smiled dangerously.

Why was I acting so impulsive?

'What's in it for you?' I asked, knowing he needed something in return.

'Smart girl. See, I need something, something that you possess, and you need something that I possess. So what about a deal? I give you the compass in exchange for your map in your bag.'

The map? What would the Dark One want with a simple map?

'What does the compass do exactly?' I needed to know everything, every loop-hole the Dealmaker could create, every option of making this deal for me worthless.

'It will lead to the person you need the most at the moment.' He responded.

'And what about the map? Why do you want it?'

'Dearie, you ask to many questions. I don't have the time.' He was getting impatient and starting tapping the ground with his foot.

'Do you want the map or not, Rumplestilskin? I have the right to know what you plan to do with it!', I blurted out. He was a child. He would be treated like a child.

His mouth was hanging open in shock. No one had ever talked to him this way. Not with this tone. I had actually given thought about his deal- not like countless other people who was struck a deal with him without knowing the full terms of the bargain.

We just stood there in silence. I embraced the fact that he could turn into the monster everyone talked about and kill me just with the snap of his fingers. Nothing happend.

'Well, Aura, your map once belonged to me. It will help me find a person I lost a long time ago. Just like you need the compass. More than the map.' His voice had a hint of sincerity, and I believed him.

It's true. I would not need the map anymore if I had the compass. He only wanted one map. Mother packed countless others.

'It's a deal then.' I stated.

'Oh, goodie.' He cackled.

It all was child's play. A game.

As soon as I handed him the map, he vanished in a puff of purple smoke, leaving me with the compass behind.

_Killian Jones_.

And then the needle started spinning.

**Rumple's view:**

My, what a deal. This girl was actually very clever- it get's quite boring when people don't think about consequenses of their actions- until I come to collect their end of the deal. And challenging. Just like her father. Same eyes, same fire. Someday it would be her undoing. I could feel the pure magic radiating from her heart. She was interesting. Someone to be remembered.

**So, yeah, I don't know if you like views of different characters (even if it's only a snippet), or if you want me to stick to Aura's POV. Also, reviews are awesome...:)**

**I made a summary of each chapter and where I'd like my story to go, and it turned out about 40 chapters or more (had a little heart attack), so yeah..my head was full of ideas...I have a feeling the chapters will be kind of rushed...I apologize in advance...but I'll try posting every day or every second day...**

**Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here is a new chapter :)**

******Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 4

After treading half a day through the Enchanted Forest, always following the direction the needle pointed, I finally reached its end. My legs were sore from walking, so I sat on the ground to take a break and enjoy the view.

It was breath-taking. All my life, I had lived secluded near the forest, I had only seen colors the shade of green and brown. But now, a spectrum of colors I had never seen opened my eyes.

The deep-blue sea. A sunset-orange. Bright yellow lights in the city. I was eager to discover this world and leave my old life in the cozy cottage behind. Shaking my head, I forgot the idea. I should not stray away from what was important.

This was not my fairytale. My priority was to find a place where I would be safe.

The needle was still pointing towards the harbor. Towards the person I needed the most at the moment. It would lead me to Killian Jones. It would lead me closer to finding someplace safe.

_'Mother, why can't I go outside?' I pouted. I had missed many white winters, green springs, hot summers and chilly falls. _

_'My dear one, the world outside this cottage is dangerous. Cruel. It is full of horrible, selfish evil people. You must stay here, where you are safe. Do you understand, Aura?'_

_'Yes, Mother.' I nodded, not looking into my mother's eyes. _

_I would not be able to go outside, but I could see every passing day through my window. And grow up without having experienced them._

As I reached the city, the number of people overwhelmed me. It was definately evening, I conclued that husbands, lovers and workers would return to their loved ones at home and spend their evening there. But this was not the case, it seemed like the city came to life during this time. Streets full of people, shops and taverns crowded, I had a slight difficulty trying not to get squished.

What amazed me most was that everybody was smiling, laughing, cheering, in a good mood, genuinely happy. I expected faces full of hatred, envy and bitterness.

I stopped in the middle of the road, and took in this new experience. Every feeling, every color, every smell, every face and sight was etched in my mind, forever.

'Hey, girl, keep walking!' Someone shouted and pushed me to the side.

This sudden movement caught me off guard, and the compass slipped out of my hands. I knelt down to search for it, when a deep voice attracted my attention, causing me to look up. A handsome man with a hook instead of one hand stood confidantely in front of me.

'Well, that was quite rude of him.' He extended his hand.

I gratefully took his hand and he pulled me up.

'Thank you.' I whispered, looking into his blue eyes. Similar like Mother's.

'No need to thank. That man should be reminded of his manners, pushing such a beautiful woman around, that's not good form.' He waved with his hook.

I felt a warm tingeling in my cheeks. Oh goodness, was I blushing?

'Looking for this?' He held the compass in his hand, a glint of playfulness flashed in his eyes.

This is Rumplestilskin all over again.

'Yes, could I have that back now?' I tried to reach for it, but he pulled it just out of my reach.

Not again.

'Please, a man deserves to know the name of the most stunning woman he just met. Then you can have your compass back.' He smiled charmingly.

The tingling sensation in my cheeks intesified, and if felt like there were knots in my stomach.

'My name is Aura. And you are?' I asked.

'Killian Jones, but I don't go by that name anymore. It's Hook.' He answered.

I glanced at the compass, it was pointing directly at him.

**Yay, fourth chapter finished. I'm kind of frustrated right now, because every time I read fan fiction (or panfiction in particular), the chapters are very long, like 2k+ long, and I'm just sitting here writing about 600 words. Such an amateur. (If you have any tips about this problem of mine, please PM me, that would be awesome!)**

**Love you all and Happy Thanksgiving,**

**aureaborealis **


	5. Chapter 5

**Oh my goodness gracious, I love you so much guys. Thank you for all the follows/favorites and reviews! I really appreciate them!**

**And I'd like to thank YouSaid for the writing tip!**

**Here is Chapter 5...**

******Disclaimer: Sadly,I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 5

I had found him. He was standing right in front of me.

Great, but how was I going to get him to help without sounding like someone crazy?

'Is there someplace we could go where we are alone?'

'My good-looks and charms really work fast.' He smirked.

'No, not because of that,' I didn't quite understand his innuendo.

'I need to talk to you, in private.' I told him, putting emphasis on each word.

'Well then, if it is so important, follow me.' He gestured with his hook to an empty street.

'Where are we going?' I asked cautiously.

'You ask way to many questions, love. Just trust me.' He took my hand and pulled me towards the direction he was heading.

_'Trust me, Mother. I won't leave this cottage. I couldn't get out, even if I tried.'_

_'Dear one, I trust you.' She lovingly traced her thumb across my cheek._

_'Just remember, do not open the door to strangers and stay in your room.' She reminded me. _

_'Mother, I'm a big girl now, I can take of myself.' I held up all my fingers to show my age._

_'Oh Aura, I believe you.'_

I walked behind Killian, or Hook as he liked to call himself, and soon we arrived at the docks.

'There is a small beach nearby, we'll be alone.'

I wasn't paying attention to what he said. My eyes were staring at the sunset.

The sky was ablaze with color, fiery orange, searing red and bright yellow mixing together, the outer edges of the sky turning indigo. I could hear the waves clashing, smell the scent of the water and feel the caress of the cool breeze.

The horizon looked like a meeting of two worlds- the known and unknown. My past and my future. I smiled at the thought. I had never seen something so breathtakingly beautiful.

I slumped to the sand, my senses overwhelmed, my mind couldn't think straight.

After taking many deep breaths, I regained some control and noticed Hook sitting beside me.

'Never seen a sunset before?' He asked curiously.

I shook my head and turned to him, recalling what I actually wanted to do.

'Kil..Hook, I don't entirely know how to say this without sounding like a madman, but I'll try my best.' I sighed, getting ready for verbal and nonverbal accusations.

'I have been looking for you. See, the Evil Queen wants me because I am special. My heart can change fate's design. She wants my heart. My mother tried to help me, she gave me unique maps that would lead me to people who would help me find someplace safe. Your name was on one of the maps.' I opened my bag and showed him the many maps my mother had packed for my journey.

He stared at me incredulously, but I kept going on.

'On my way to find you, I met Rumplestilskin, and we struck a bargain.'

I noticed how his eyes turned dark and murderous for a split second. They probably had a history.

'I exchanged the map for a compass that would lead me to the person I need the most at the moment.' I took out said thing and demonstrated.

The needle was still pointing towards him.

'And at last I found you, and here we are.'

Silence. We sat in awkward silence for what seemed like ages. Time was running out.

I noticed how he looked at me. Like in his mind he was weighing the arguments and deciding if I was a freak or not.

Then again, silence. It was driving me crazy.

'Aura, I believe you.' He whispered.

I let out the air I didn't even know I was holding. He thinks I are not crazy. Does that mean he'll help?

The sun had set and night overtook.

'You know,' he began and moved closer to me.

I could feel my heart beating erratically, and the knots in my stomach intensified.

He caressed my cheek, lifted my chin gently, ours noses were touching. I could feel the warmth of his breath brushing the top of my lip. I started back into his piercing cerulean blue eyes.

'There is a safe place somewhere for you. I'll help you find it.' Hook promised.

He moved up the last half inch so our lips could touch.

**Hooks POV:**

This woman seemed so lost in the middle of thousands of people walking in the crowded street. A helpless, lost girl. And I could be the knight in shining armor, rescuing her from all the dangers. She didn't know of my reputation in this city, it could work to my advantage. Another fling, a heartbreak, something to forget from my past, nothing to remember in my future.

...

The sight of her staring at the colorful sunset made my heart beat faster. When I said that she was the most stunning woman I had ever met, I truly meant it. She almost made me forget about Milah.

Her long golden hair was plait in a simple braid, but I could see a strand of hair that managed to not be incorporated into the braid, making my fingers itch with longing, aching to place the piece of hair behind her ear.

Her skin was creamy and seemed flawless, I wanted to run my fingers along her neck to see it was as smooth as it looked.

And those eyes. Viridian green. Very rare. Full of fire and hope.

When I saw her slump to the ground, I knew that was my cue.

I sat down next to her and stared at her. She seemed like an angel from heaven.

...

Aura wasn't crazy, she was desperate. She needed me the most at the moment. It wasn't good form to not help the people in need.

I felt my heart beating so fast, I was scared that she could hear it. No one ever made me feel this way- except Milah, but she was long gone. Taken away from me.

I spent a long time clinging to the painful memories and right now, I realized I had to stop clinging to them to be happy. I had to let go. I deserved a second chance. I could be happy with Aura. I just needed to be sure.

'Aura, I believe you.' I whispered, not trusting my voice.

'You know,' I began, moving closer to her.

If she felt the same way, I could take her somewhere safe, and I could start over. With her.

As I touched her, I felt a spark. That was the sign for me, I hoped she felt it, too.

'There is a safe place somewhere for you. I'll help you find it.' I promised.

She was someone to remember.

**Okay, guys this was the longest chapter I have written till now (kinda proud of myself). **

**Anyway, please review, cause then I know your opinion and your ideas and they help me with writing the story. And they make me smile. :)**

**Love you all so much,**

**aureaborealis**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey everybody, **

**I have to apologize for not updating as fast as usual. I got sick and later on ended up at the hospital, so there wasn't any time. But I recovered and here is the 6th chapter!**

**I'd like to thank YouSaid, who is my beta-reader now! She's doing a wonderful job, and you should check out her panfic 'A Soldier's Curse'. **

******Disclaimer: Sadly,I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 6

His mouth was warm, the caress of his lips softer than I could have imagined. It was just like one of the kisses in Mother's romance novels. He gently cupped my face, deepening the kiss. The butterflies in my stomach were gone, replaced by some kind of pressure lower than my stomach. Is this normal? What is wrong with me?

His other free hand wandered to the small of my back, his thumb rubbing the area in circular motions. I replied with a low moan, hungry for more.

But there was no more. Hook pulled away quickly and closed his eyes.

'Did I...did I do something wrong?' I asked nervously, not comprehending why he ended the kiss so abruptly.

A moment later he opened his eyes and looked at me. His gaze made me feel a prickling sensation in my chest, the kiss hadn't.

'It's nothing, I just wanted to be sure,' He shook his head, returning from his deep thoughts, and reached for my hand.

'Did you feel something, when we kissed?'

I could feel a tingling in my cheeks, and avoided his gaze, embarrassed. Why so ashamed? It was a pleasurable experience.

'Yes,' I whispered, barely audible as I met his piercing blue eyes.

'I did, too. We'll find your safe haven, I can start over. With you,' His eyes were full of sincerity and longing.

The meaning of his words hit me. Am I ready for something like this? When I find my sanctuary, I will have nobody I love by my side. I could start over, with him.

'I'd like that. But we have to get there first,'

Grabbing my bag, I flipped it upside down, spilling the contents out upon the ground. Three maps, some leftover food, the Peter Pan book and my necklace. Hook flinched when he caught sight of my favorite storybook.

'You don't like Peter Pan and the Lost Boys?'

'Not a pleasant memory.' His voice was laced with sadness, his eyes on the verge of tears.

Sensing this was a taboo for him, I dismissed further questions. When the time was right, maybe he would tell me.

_'Mother, why do you never tell me anything about Father? Or how we got here? Or..'_

_'Dear child, your Father is just a memory. How we got here is all just a memory.' She interrupted my questions. 'The worst part of holding memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared. All in time, Aura.'_

_'Then I'll wait, Mother.'_

I rolled out all three maps and laid them next to each other. The full moon provided enough light to be able to see what was depicted on the maps.

Each map had the seven kingdoms and the sea on it, the only difference were the location of the marks and the names.

'How do we know which map we will need this time?' Hook asked.

'Way ahead of you. The compass will help.' I pulled out the device from my pocket.

The compass needle was still pointing towards Hook's heart, nothing had changed. Suddenly I realized the maps were of no importance since I had the compass, but I decided to keep them. I had been able to trade one with the Dark One, maybe they would come in handy later.

Glancing over every map, I spoke out each name close to the mark aloud. 'The Blue Fairy. The Pied Piper. Rumplestiltskin.'

Hook shifted uncomfortably when I said the last name. That's right, they most likely had history.

Hoping the needle would finally turn by saying the names out loud, I was disappointed when the direction of the needle didn't change.

Swiftly, I put back all the items into my bag and stood up.

'Well, the compass isn't doing anything? What should we do?' I was frustrated my journey depended on the compass and was delayed, but I finally noticed how tired I was.

The events of the past days and the searching and walking had drained my energy, physically and mentally.

'We could find an inn and stay there overnight,' Hook suggested, taking my hand and leading me to the destination. Gladly I let him lead me, happy I was a step closer to being safe, a step further away from the Evil Queen.

'One bed will suffice?' He smirked.

'Don't get any ideas, or you'll have two hooks instead of hands.' I playfully threated, not really sure what would happen tonight. He still was a stranger, but I trusted him.

As we entered the room Hook had paid for, I took the compass out of the bag, put it on a table, dropped the bag on the floor and collapsed on the bed.

'How about making some space for me?' He chuckled.

When I shifted to make room, he moved to climb in beside me. I jumped slightly when I felt his strong arm wrap around my waist and tug me gently back into his frame. He pulled the covers around the both of us and ran his fingertips gently across my skin, leaving a trail of goose-bumps where our skin touched. I felt protected, a feeling I hadn't felt in a long time, even with my overly-protective mother. She was more possessive than protective.

'I'm glad I found you.'

His hand brushed my hair away from my face and ran his fingers through it.

'As am I,' He whispered into my ear.

His actions made me shiver, most definitely in a good way.

I faintly remember seeing the compass needle start spinning before my eyes closed and I drifted into the awaiting darkness.

**Don't forget to review! Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey, I'm back! Anyone miss me? (probably not..)**

**So again, I am super duper grateful for all the favorites/follows and reviews!**

**Special thanks to ElektraMackenzie, who is a constant reviewer (and please check out her fanfics )**

**Here's chapter seven:**

******Disclaimer: Sadly,I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 7

I was falling.

How curious. I don't remember losing balance, or being pushed or slipping on a high surface.

But I was absolutely sure I was plummeting to my death. Since I was a little kid, falling to my death was a recurring dream. Why wouldn't this be any different?

Closing my eyes, I waited for the painful hit on the ground below. Except, it wouldn't be painful, I would only wake up in reality.

I waited and waited, but nothing happened.

Instead, I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist and gently place me on the ground.

My eyes shot open; my hands dug into the earth. I was overjoyed to feel land again.

I turned slightly to see my saviour who was kneeling right by my side. To my surprise, my saviour was a young man with ash brown messy hair, and faint grey eyes.

'Well, could you imagine what would have happened if I didn't catch you?' He smirked.

'Could've broken your pretty little neck, now who would want that?' He answered himself, shushing me before I had a chance to answer.

'Thank you,' I croaked, still in shock.

'And who are you? I don't remember telling my shadow to bring someone new. Especially not a girl.' He raised his eyebrows skeptically.

It seemed he was talking more to himself than to me.

'My name is Aura,' I replied.

Silence.

Slowly his eyes lowered to my chest, to where my heart was.

'Your heart...it's glowing.'

I looked down to see for myself, but there was no glowing, just my tight jacket. Was this man crazy? Was he hallucinating? Was_ I_ hallucinating?

'Ah, where are my manners? I'm Peter. Peter Pan,' He slipped casually, bringing back my attention to him.

For a moment, my heart stopped. I couldn't breathe.

Peter Pan was kneeling next to me. _The_ Peter Pan from my favorite bedtime story. Or this man was just really crazy. But he sure looked the part, all boyish charm with that hidden mischievousness that made my eyes widen in the possibility that it could be true. But I pushed it aside in favour of logic.

'And I guess I'm in Neverland,' I joked.

'Precisely.'

Oh no, this was not happening. It was all a dream anyway. Wasn't it normal to dream about something you really wished for?

'Girls aren't usually allowed to stay in Neverland, but I would be willing to make an exception. Just for you. But you would still be breaking the rules.' His eyes glinted deviously as though breaking the rules was exactly his kind of thing.

'Fine, if you're really Peter Pan, then why didn't you visit me sooner? I waited every night by my window for years, but you never showed up.' I felt the anger that was bottled up inside for so long ready to explode.

His facial expression suddenly dropped, the devious glare turned into a sad one. And with that, my anger had simmered down. I was confronting my feelings I had surpressed, a very normal thing in dreams.

'Aura, I did try. But Gothel's magical powers never let me bring you here. And somewhere, deep down in that precious heart of yours, you never believed enough.'

Mother had powers? It was a dream, but even in the depths of my subconscious I could swear I didn't know this.

But maybe I did. Then it hit me. As soon as Mother would leave the cottage, she would move her hands in strange ways and murmur strange, foreign words, but I always thought it was part of her culture, her way to say goodbye, not magic.

He continued. 'If I would have brought you sooner, you wouldn't be looking for a sanctuary anymore. You would be happy and lost, here in Neverland, away from the Evil Queen.'

I believed him.

Lost in Neverland. My new home. My search was over.

'But Peter, how will I find Neverland? How will I find you?' I urged, desperate for an answer as I felt consciousness pulling me back to reality.

'I will call for you. All in good time, Aura.' He was slowly fading.

'Then I will wait, Peter.'

I shot up, awaking from my dream. My eyes eagerly scanned the room, I was in bed with Hook. My whole body was tense and glistening with sweat.

Falling, landing in Neverland and meeting Peter Pan was all a dream, but it had felt so real.

Maybe what Pan said was true, if only I believed enough. All it took was a leap of faith.

'Hook, get up!' I gently tried to rouse him, eager to tell him I had found the destination of my journey.

His eyes fluttered open and he yawned. 'Oh, someone's impatient! Should I undress?'

'No silly, I know where we have to go.' I shoved him around, annoyed with his sexual comments.

He motioned for me to continue.

'Neverland.'

**Updating could be a little slow in the next two weeks cause finals and test are all slammed into one week (seriously, I have a feeling** **that all teachers do this to torture students), don't hate!**

**Please review! **

**Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello to all the people that decided to read this,**

**thank you so much! Here's a new chapter! And, please, don't hate me at the end...**

******Disclaimer: Sadly,I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 8

'Neverland.'

The smirk from Hook's face was gone, replaced with a troubled look. His brows creased with worry and he seemed distraught.

'Are you even certain? I mean, of all the places, of all the realms, it has to be Neverland?' He appeared to be talking more to himself than to me.

'I dreamed about it. Peter tol..'

'Oh, you dreamt it! That of course explains everything!' He got out of bed and started pacing around while raising his voice, clearly in a state of aggravation with me, or possibly Peter, or the fact that I was putting so much trust in a dream.

This was not going how I planned. His sudden outburst frightened me; this was not the Hook I knew. But then again, did I know anything about him? He was, after all, still a stranger.

'I have dreams like you, but some of my dreams are special. They mean something. For a short period of time I get a glimpse of the future or something important. I know it doesn't justify anything, but...' I paused, trying to think up a good argument, yet nothing came to mind.

He stopped pacing and sat on a chair at the nearby table, putting as much distance between us as he needed.

'Aura, I would go to the end of the worlds just to be with you, but I can't go back to Neverland,' He whispered, a contrast to before, his tone laced with sadness.

Our gazes finally met, and I saw tears welling up in his eyes.

'I don't want to go back to Neverland. It just brings back too many painful recollections.'

I stood up and walked towards him, talking my time with each step, cautiously placing one foot after the other.

As I reached him, I gently cupped his cheek and crouched down to his eye-level.

'Killian, memories are there to be shared.' I recited what my mother had told me ever so often, even though she was never the person who did.

He looked conflicted as to whether or not he should tell me, and after a long silence he began:

'I..I visited Neverland on a sea expedition with my brother, Liam Jones. Our king had ordered us the procure a plant called Dreamshade, which was rumoured to have healing properties. In Neverland, we met Peter Pan, the sole inhabitant of the island. He told us that Dreamshade only lead to doom and would kill instead of heal. I was beginning to have my doubts, whereas Liam, stubborn as he was, didn't buy it. We made our way deeper into the island, and at the top of a peak, we found a large batch of it growing. My brother purposely cut himself, just to prove how wrong the strange boy was, but he passed out quickly and the poison killed him soon after.'

'I'm sorry.' I could see in his face how difficult it was for him to tell me of his past. I offered him my hand for reassurance.

'I desperately tried to get off the island. One day, Peter came to me and offered me a deal. I did his dirty work, and that would get me my passage off the island. I regret every single order I carried out for him. Mind you, he's not the innocent boy who never wanted to grow up from your storybook, he's quite the heartless demon.'

I was struggling with my options. Neverland was my hideaway, I could feel it in my bones, but if what Hook said was true, I would have to deal with another wickedness. I had to act fast.

'Killian, if going to Neverland to be safe means being without you, I don't want to go. We'll just have to find someplace else.' My heart ached to say these words.

I had to refrain myself from touching my face, a tell-tale sign that I was not being truthful, but he didn't sense the lie in my words.

I tugged his arm and led him back to bed.

Wrapping his arms around me, I eased into a comforting position. His heartbeat steadied and turning slightly in his grasp, I saw he had fallen asleep.

I wriggled out of his embrace and got out of the bed. Quickly grabbing my bag and compass, I glanced to him before closing the door and leaving the room. He looked so peaceful in his sleep.

As much as it pained my heart to leave him like this, I had to move on. It was selfish, but my safety was my top priority. My conscience told me I was doing the right thing, I was saving Killian from making the hard decision of having to choose to follow me to Neverland and stay here.

In the dead of the night, I wandered back to the woods to where I came from. Alone.

**Okay, all Hookers (hihi) will probably kill me, but it had to be done...**

**Reviews make me update faster, cause I know your opinion..**

**Questions are always welcome, as is constructive criticism...**

**This weekend there will be a following chapter...**

**Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey everybody,**

**I'm so sorry I didn't post this chapter last weekend (I guess I shouldn't make promises I can't keep)..but there was something wrong with my laptop...**

**And since finals are finished and holidays started a few hours ago (for me and for German readers at least), I'll try to update daily..**

**So...here's the chapter:**

******Disclaimer: Sadly,I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 9

The Evil Queen hadn't found me yet, but there was still a possibility she would before I was summoned to Neverland.  
But I wondered how would that even work? Didn't Hook mention something about different worlds and realms?  
Hook.

Even though I had only left him a couple of hours ago, I missed him already. I could still remember the safety I had felt in his arms, but I needed to forget these feelings. He was just an obstacle on my journey. Soon, I would be safe.

**Hook's POV:**

My eyes shot open, awakening from the nightmare that came back to haunt me night after night**. **Only this time, she was in it too. Both Milah and Aura had been ripped away from me by my two most dreaded enemies. The Crocodile and Peter Pan. Blast those demons.

My hand reached to my side where Aura would be sleeping, I wanted to reassure myself she was still there and not gone like in my dream. But the space was empty and cold, time having made it so, indicating she had left a long while ago.  
I closed my eyes, feeling my heart break. How could I have been so stupid to believe I would get my second chance? I clenched my fist in anger.

_'Did you feel something, when we kissed?'_

_Her cheeks had a rosy color, and she avoided my gaze._

_'Yes,' She whispered, barely audible._

She had felt it, too. That meant something.

No, I would not let her slip away so easily.  
_Determined, I got out of bed, prepared for anything and everything that would come my way. I was ready to go to the ends of the world to find Aura._

**Aura's POV:**

It was nearing dawn by the time I spotted my little cottage at the end of the woods. Delighted to recognize something familiar, I rushed towards it. Just as I reached the door, I halted as the vivid memory of my mother's death flashed before my eyes.

_Knights burst into our cozy cottage, and in stepped a woman. Her black attire made her look dark and evil. I guessed it was the Evil Queen._

_'My, what a home. Mind if I barge in? Of course not.' The Evil Queen checked the suroundings until she caught sight of me trying to run away._

_'Gothel, are we running away, again? Remember what happend to your beloved one? He didn't abandon you, I simply killed him.'_

_She approached my mother and then all hell broke loose._

_The knights were coming to get me, and the Evil Queen dug into my mother's chest. How was that even possible? Then she was holding a red glowing thing in her hand, while my mother slumped to the ground. I looked closely and saw it was a heart. I made me sick to my stomach._

_'You can't hide forever, though I am impressed how long you managed. In the end, everything will go my way, you know that better than anyone. I'll spare you the painful, torturous death he got.'_

_The Evil Queen crushed the heart slowly, while my mother let out a gutteral scream, and then all the Queen held in her hand was dust. I realized my mother was dead._

Stepping in, I was greeted with a large mess. The furniture had been moved around, books and paper tossed around and shards of pottery were lying on the floor. I suspected that the Evil Queen had ordered her knights to search the household for something valuable.  
Closing the door, I let my bag fall to the ground and started cleaning up.  
Putting everything back to its rightful place – pushing our furnishings to where they belonged – I worked for the rest of the day until the cottage looked like it had in its former glory.  
I lit up some candles and grabbed one of mother's notebooks. If mother truly had practiced magic, what other secrets did she hide? Countless, but maybe she had written some things down.  
I skimmed the pages and found nothing. Disappointed, I set the book aside. Recalling mother had owned a diary, I searched for it.  
Mother would never put something personal on display, or hide it someplace obvious. Or maybe that was what she wanted me to think.  
Looking through our collection of books, one book without a name on its spine caught my attention. Crossing the room swiftly, I took it in my hands. Sure enough, it was exactly what I was looking for. It wasn't exactly one diary, but it was something more. Years and years worth of everyday words filled the pages, crammed magically into the tiny book.  
Mostly, the entries were about her normal day routine, or a new recipe she had mastered, but one page had little notes written all over it in my mother's script.  
_Heal. Hurt. Change. Fate's design. Save. Lost. Bring. Back. Whoever you give your heart to will be the most powerful. Purest. Soul Bright. Shine. Angel. Blackness. Overcome. Evil.  
_Those were the words my mother used to explain in haste what my heart could do. Surmised into one sentence, it could heal the sick, help the poor…change fate's design. And the person I would give my heart to would be powerful; so incredibly powerful.

Silently, I prayed Peter would bring me to Neverland soon.

**Reviews are greatly appreciated...:)**

**Got an idea you would like to be incorporated into the story? ( go ahead and write to me, I don't bite...hard :) I was just kidding)**

**Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey everybody,**

**so it's happening. Pan is in the Enchanted Forest. Hope you like it!**

******Disclaimer: Sadly,I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 10

_I was standing in a weird room. More like a dungeon, with one door and a barred window, letting in the last rays of sunshine for the day._

_All of a sudden someone shoved me to the ground, making me chafe my knees on the cold stone floor as I cried out in pain._

_The attacker grabbed me by the hair and pulled me up, causing me to grimace in agony._

_The person let go of my hair, but proceeded to grab me by the throat, effectively cutting off any air flow to my windpipe, and pinning me against the wall. For the first time I got a good look at my assaulter; it was a man with no face, except for glowing eyes._

_'Such a pretty little girl, with a pretty little heart. Oh, the price of magic.' His tone was menacing, sending a chill through my spine._

_He dropped me to the floor and took the first blow to my ribcage, kicking me hard. I was curled up on the floor, each infliction ten times worse than the last. The figure seemed to have an unending supply of voracity when it came to harming me, coming at me ag__ain and again. The pain was nothing like I had ever felt before, my body on fire; bruised and swollen and unable to move._

_I lost count of the minutes, but after a while, the man abruptly stopped and left, leaving me to rot on the floor. I didn't have the strength to try to get up, so I just lay there, thinking of those magical, gleaming eyes._

_The sound of flutes lulled me to sleep, making me drift into unconsciousness and slip into a state of complete numbness._

**Hook's POV:**

The tavern was already full, something I wasn't expecting. Now really, it wasn't even midday and men were getting drunk, but I wasn't one to judge, if I knew their stories, I'd most likely do that, too.

In the back I could see the familiar red hat. Just the man I was looking for.

'Oh, Smee! Glad I found you here.' The man jumped up as I patted him on the back.

Why was he even part of my crew? He was afraid of mice, and the dark and of countless other things.

'Need me to find something for you, Captain?' Right, that's why.

'Matter of fact, yes. I know you specialize in hard to obtain objects, but I think you can handle this. I need you to find a girl. Today.'

His eyes closed, indicating he was already making up some sort of plan.

'I'll need the name,' He stated, his eyes still closed.

Before I could answer, I overheard the conversation two knights sitting next to us were having.

'...I heard that the girl is quite special. A new pawn for the Evil Queen's way to victory.'

'But she escaped, remember? Fast, that bloody thing.'

'Well, someone saw Aura walking into that witches cottage yesterday and contacted the Queen, they're on their way to find her right now.'

She was still here? There was not much time left. I interrupted the conversation, asking for the witch's name.

'I do not need to answer your questions, eavesdropper. You're nothing but a pirate, why do you care?' The knight closest to me asked disdainfully.

'Well, knight, you see this hook? How about having two instead of hands? Should be quite funny, trying to fight with two hooks and a sword on the battlefield. Or you just tell me the name.' I grabbed him by the collar and whispered into his ear.

The man nodded, completely terrified. 'Mother Gothel, the witch's name..' I quickly spun around, having heard just what I needed and gestured for Smee to follow me out.

'Mother Gothel's Cottage. We have to hurry.'

'Let's go, Captain.'

**Aura's POV:**

My eyes opened slowly, fearing I was still in my dream, on the cold hard floor in the dungeon. I shuddered at the thought.

But I sighed in relief when I opened my eyes and saw that I was still in the cottage, lying in my mother's bed. Sitting up, I noticed many bruises on my arms. They hadn't been there before, not when I came home.

Gently tracing the different scars and examining the color of the various bruises, I wondered how I got them. Was it possible they were from the dream?

I lifted my nightgown to see how injured my chest was. Normally, bruises were blue and purple, but my chest was almost black. I got out of bed and walked towards the mirror.

I barely recognized my face. One of my eyes was a mottled blue, my nose was crooked but the blood around it had dried up. My hair was tangled and messy, and my upper lip was swelling.

But I didn't feel any pain. Was something wrong with me? Where did I get all this? I thought of yesterday, coming home and cleaning up. Reading mother's notes and falling asleep.

_Heal. Hurt. Change. Fate's design. Save. Lost. Bring. Back._

I opened my eyes again and gasped in shock as I saw how my bruises were vanishing, the scars fading away, but more importantly, my heart was glowing.

'It is time.' I heard a soft familiar voice.

The sound of the flutes from my dreams set me in a trance, I started walking to the door and outside, always following the music – everything else a haze.

Sunbeams shone on my face and warmed my skin. My feet wandered along the dewy grass. I breathed the fresh morning air.

Abruptly the music stopped, as did I. Leaning casually against a tree with a pan flute in his hand, there was Peter Pan.

'My, you look even more beautiful in person,' He stated and strode with confidence in his steps towards me.

'You really are an angel.' His hand gently cupped my face and I felt the sensation on my tingling cheeks.

'Ready to never grow up?' His boyish grin made my heart flutter as I nodded absent-mindedly.

'Wait!' I heard a desperate voice and spun around, annoyed someone had disturbed my time with Peter, to see who it was.

My heart dropped when I saw Hook, accompanied by a rather round man with a red hat.

Peter gripped my waist possessively, restraining me from running to Hook.

'Please Aura, do not leave with this demon. I..we could find someplace else. We could be together. I know it all seems rushed, but I love you, and I want to be with you till the end of my days. When we kissed, I knew for sure.' Hook declared and stared at me with his piercing blue eyes, waiting for a response.

'Think of all the joy you'll find when you leave this world behind. Isn't going to Neverland what you wanted? To dance with Indians, sing with mermaids, hunt with the Lost Boys and never grow up? To be safe, with me?' Peter spoke softly into my ear and let go of my waist just as a voice called out.

'Release the girl.' I recognized the Evil Queen's voice and shivered unintentionally.

What was going to happen to me? My eyes darted to the triangle of faces.

Peter Pan. Hook. The Evil Queen.

'Forget them, forget them all. Come with me, where you'll never have to worry about anything again.'

'Aura, please. I know you feel something, too. We can both be happy and safe.'

'Dear child, I'm not going to kill you, not like your mother. If you just comply, things will be much easier.'

Weighing my options, I didn't need to think long before turning to the boy beside me and nodding, trusting Peter to bring me to safety, to Neverland.

Peter took my hand and in the other he held green-glowing dust.

'Do you believe?'

'Yes.' And the next second, we were flying.

I would never forget the look of heartbreak and betrayal on Hook's face.

**So yeah, I finally reached my goal of writing more than 900 words per chapter! And I have a feeling my writing skills have gotten better, thanks to all the reviews and my beta-reader (YouSaid), I really want to hug each and every one of you physically, but because that's not possible, I'm just hugging my laptop...**

**Love you all and enjoy your holidays,**

**aureaborealis**

**P.S Reviews are always appreciated!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey everybody, **

**hope you like this chapter!**

******Disclaimer: Sadly,I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 11

As we reached higher altitudes, the people I had left behind began to shrink.

I gripped Peter's hand tighter, fearing that letting go would make me plummet to my death, but he didn't seem to notice me cutting off the circulation of his hand.

I was flying! The wind rushed through my hair, and for once in my life, I felt free. The shackles that had previously restrained me to the ground were torn away, letting me forget all the worries and pains for a few exhilarating seconds. I pushed the memories of mother and Hook to the back of my mind, and concentrated on the world underneath me, knowing I would most likely never have another chance for see it from this view.

Etching the sight in my mind forever, I turned to gaze at Peter, who seemed fully concentrated on the horizon, where the sea met the endless sky.

While soaring over the indigo sea, Peter let go of my hand, making me float alone. He started showing off his skills, flying in loops and zig-zags around me, but seeing the uneasy look in my eyes, he returned to holding my hand, flying beside me, laughter playing at his lips.

'We're almost there.' He pointed towards an isolated island.

Right before we reached Neverland, I started falling. The green-glowing dust that made me fly wasn't working anymore; my belief was failing.

This wasn't a dream. There would be consequences, painful ones.

I closed my eyes, fearfulawaiting the impact, knowing it would surely be my end. Instead I felt strong arms tuck under my knees and wrap around my waist.

Peeking through my lashes, I saw an amused look on Peter's face.

'You do have a tendency of falling, and then ending up in my arms, don't you?' He grinned cheekily.

Before I could answer, we tumbled clumsily onto shore, the sand softening our fall only a bit. The drop knocked out the air from my lungs, and being pinned down by Peter's body wasn't helping, either.

'Could you please get off me?' I huffed.

Our eyes locked for what seemed like an eternity, his intense gaze, the proximity of our bodies and the feeling of his lips so close to mine made me turn my head to my side, trying to hide the blush that spread across my cheeks. He shouldn't be making me feel this way. Just because he was my rescuer; just because I had chosen Neverland… I tried to rid the colour from my face to no avail. Only then did he roll over, allowing me to catch my breath. He seemed to be needing a breather, too.

After a moment, he got to his feet, held out both his hands, which I took, and pulled me to my feet.

'Welcome to Neverland, Aura.'

Holding both my hands, he led me through into the jungle.

It was extremely different from the Enchanted Forest.

The evergreens and deciduous trees were replaced with tall trees with thick foliage that only let a few sunrays to hit the ground. Various creature-like noises I had never heard make me cautious with each step. And the heat was unbearable in my leather attire.

'Don't worry, you'll change into more suitable clothes once we arrive at camp.' He spoke calmly, as if reading my mind.

We reached a clearing, and sure enough, it was Peter's camp. Some children were prancing dangerously close the fire, others were fighting with sticks just as a knight would with a sword. I couldn't help but think of all the similarities and differences from what was right in front of me and in my book.

'Boys! Meet our Lost Girl!' He called, catching every single one's attention.

'Aura is very special, so try not hurt her, or else you'll be dealing with me.' His tone, oozing with authority, sounded almost nonchalant as he made the threat.

'Tonight, we shall celebrate her arrival.' The boys started whooping and continued causing chaos.

Peter turned back to me and gestured to a tree house. 'Up there you should find clothes that should suit you.'

I climbed the ladder and entered the small room. There was nothing special, just a bed, table and shelf filled with books. I noted in my mind to check the books later and grabbed the neatly folded clothes from the table.

I stayed put in the tree house, wearing the appropriate garments, and smiled to myself. In some way, my dream was coming true, even if the timing was off and I had already grown up.

After some time of just sitting on the bed, doing nothing, my eyelids felt heavier and I sank into Pan's pillows, dosing off into a dreamless slumber.

The sound of pan flutes woke me up. Rubbing my eyes, I yawned and proceeded to the entrance of the tree house, eager to see what was happening outside.

Night had already fallen upon and all the boys were dancing around the huge campfire, while Peter sat on a stone nearby, playing his instrument.

Descending from the house, I walked in a dream-like state towards all the boys, wanting to join their fun.

While twirling and frolicking around, with no parents or adults to tell us what to do or rob us of our joy, I noticed Peter eying me with a certain look on his face. I paused my dancing and advanced towards him. His pupils were wide and the fire reflecting in his eyes made him look dangerous and hungry, like an animal.

All of the sudden the music ended and Peter stood up. 'Time to go to bed, tomorrow is an important day.' The Lost Boys groaned in annoyance, somebody was telling them what to do, but they still obeyed, everyone returning to their huts or tree houses.

Peter's hand wandered to the small of my back and pushed me towards the tree house I had been earlier.

'Get some rest.' He spun me around, the closeness of our bodies making my heart beat erratically.

Cupping my face, Peter gently caressed my cheek with his thumb and put several strands of hair behind my ear. I leaned into his touch and placed both my hands on his chest.

'Goodnight, Aura.'

And just like that, he was gone.

**As always, reviews are greatly appreciated!**

**Happy Holidays,**

**aureaborealis**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey hey everyone,**

**got a new chapter, hope you like it!**

******Disclaimer: Sadly,I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 12

_This nightmare was exactly like my last. The man with the magical, glowing eyes had me pinned against the wall, only this time he didn't strangle or harm me. No. He did much worse. Ripping out my heart, he held it in his hand proudly, while I sunk to the cold floor, feeling incomplete and lifeless._

_'When I own it, you will regret giving it to me.'_

_The steadily beating organ was glowing, I squinted, my eyes unaccustomed to the lighting in the once dark room._

_When the man applied pressure to my heart, squeezing it ever so slightly, I let out a guttural scream and started thrashing in pain._

_'Wake up!'_

'Wake up!' Someone was shaking my shoulders, rousing me back to reality.

I opened my eyes and my hands shot to my chest, trying to feel if there was a pulse. My heart was still there.

Sighing in relief, I turned to the Lost Boy who had woken me up.

'I heard you screaming, so I came to check. Are you okay?' He sat on the edge of the bed and had a concerned look on his face.

I nodded, looking into his grey-green eyes. Just now I recalled not seeing him at the celebration.

'I'm Felix, by the way,' He added.

After several minutes of simply sitting in silence – basically, me refusing to introduce myself– he decided to stand up.

'I better leave. Wouldn't want Pan to get a false impression.' Felix said in a monotone voice.

He glanced at me one last time before stepping out of the tree house.

It was still dark outside, but the candles in the room provided enough light. Falling asleep wasn't an option. I was afraid of being abused by the man again, so I needed to find another way to pass the time until sunrise.

The shelf caught my attention. I swiftly crossed the room and stood in front of it. The books were of all sizes and lengths and different colored spines.

Aimlessly, I chose a few books and returned to bed. _Little Red Riding Hood. Cinderella. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs._

The books' titles reminded me of something, but I couldn't place my finger on it.

Once upon a time there was...

Reading had always been a passion of mine, I particularly loved stories about living in castles or forests, princes finding princesses and declaring their true love, where good always overpowered evil. I could get lost in another world and go on adventures while being confined in the comfort of my own home.

While beginning my third book, setting the other ones aside, Peter strode in, a slight spring in his steps, surprise evident in his facial expression.

'Up so early?'

Putting the book aside, I answered, 'Couldn't sleep.'

He raised his eyebrows and sat down at the edge of the bed.

'So, I see you found the story-collection. Found anything good?' He motioned to the books laying around.

'Oh yes, but they seem oddly familiar.'

'Well, they're based on the people from the Enchanted Forest. I write them down for the Boys as bedtime stories. Now, come along, you must be hungry.' He dismissed my further questions, and as if on cue, my belly started making noises.

Following him outside to where everybody was having their breakfast, I searched for Felix's face, but he wasn't present.

Peter handed me a bowl with porridge and I wondered who made the food, since there was no cooking equipment lying around in the jungle.

But I didn't really care, my stomach was growling, evident I hadn't eaten in a day, so I gobbled up the food, trying my best to do this in the most polite way possible.

After putting the bowl away as I finished, Peter took my hand and led me away from camp

'Where are we going?' I questioned anxiously.

'Someplace special.'

We arrived at a burnt meadow, in the midst of thousands of trees all close to each other.

'This area was destroyed by a great fire, since then nothing has happened here. No flowers, plants, or animals. No life.'

As I set foot onto the ashen field, the world around me came to life and my heart started to glow.

The flowers started blooming like our presence had suddenly revived them from a deathly slumber whilst sunlight peeked through the trees shining auras of golden light upon the new life sprouting about us. The death and decay returned to its' once former glory. And suddenly, the meadow was brand new and beautiful.

_Heal. Hurt. Save. Lost. Bring. Back._

'My heart is restoring the life of the meadow. It can bring back what was once lost.' I revealed to Peter, though he didn't look quite as shocked as Hook did when I told him.

In fact, he didn't look surprised at all, only the corners of his mouth lifted to a smirk. Peter was staring intently at my chest; my heart.

'You know why we have food without having to cook? Because Neverland's magic runs on belief; all you have to do is just believe, and it will appear in the palm of your hand.' His stare rose back to my eye-level.

To prove what he said, he stretched out his hand, and the next second, a book materialized.

'You try.' He nodded

encouragingly.

I scrunched up my eyes, deep in concentration, while I stretched out my hand like Peter had done.

Imagining the cookies mother had baked when I was sick, my eyes widened when they appeared in my hand.

'Now think of something you really, really want.' Peter stood behind me and whispered huskily into my ear, gently moving my hair away and placing one hand on my waist.

But I didn't want anything, I was truly content. Happy and safe; for the moment.

**Merry Christmas! **

**Reviews are always appreciated, nice ones and constructive criticism ones...**

**Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey everybody,**

**Merry Christmas! Go enjoy the day, eat some awesome food, spend time with your loved ones...hope you like this chapter!**

******Disclaimer: Sadly,I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 13

'Do you want to do something today? The Boys are playing their games today, we won't be disturbed.' I could feel Pan's hot breath on my exposed skin.

Twisting around, I replied tentatively. 'Could you show me around? Neverland seems so fascinating, I'd love to see more.'

'Anything for you.'

Peter closed his eyes while embracing me, and transported us to the peak of a mountain, without physically crossing the distance.

'Neverpeak Mountain.' I talked more to myself, recognizing the place from the map in the storybook. I eased out of Pan's embrace and stared out in wonder.

Raising his eyebrows, he shot me a quizzical look as to why I knew the location's name.

'Back in my world, there is a story about you. _Peter Pan and his Lost Boys._ It's very much like reality. You, the Lost Boys, pixies, Indians, and mermaids...' I explained, at the same time trailing off, thinking about meeting all these mythical beings.

I noticed how his eyes lit up at the mention of the different inhabitants of Neverland, and he quickly stood up, pointing to one direction.

'That's Pirate's cove, even though a pirate hasn't visited in a long time.'

'The Neverland Plains, where the Indians make camp,' he continued.

In the distance, I spotted tepees and smoke signals rising.

Always following where his finger pointed, I gasped at the breath-taking scenery.

'Skull Rock, Neverwood, Pixie Hollow, and Mermaid Lagoon. So where to?' He looked at me curiously.

'Oh, Peter, please, to the Mermaids.' I barely contained my excitement.

He closed the distance between us, his strong arms wrapping around my waist once again and the next second, we stood at the shore of Mermaid Lagoon.

This time, we stayed in the embrace a little longer, me feeling the toned muscles of his chest and him resting his chin on my head. Warmth emanated between us, his body flush against mine, and in that moment I almost forgot about Mermaid Lagoon. I wanted him to not let go of me.

Which is why I felt my heart ache as we separated. I was aching with longing to feel his touch again.

'Up for a swim? He suggested as he started to take his boots off.

Doing exactly as he did, I got rid of my shoes and let my leather jacket fall to the sand. I walked past him, enjoying the feeling of cold, wet sand underneath my feet and tested the water with my toes. Not too cold.

Then I felt Peter pick me up suddenly and jump into the clear blue water. The surprise caught me off guard and I swallowed a large amount of salty water.

Trying to reach the surface, for I couldn't hold my breath much longer, I started thrashing around, kicking my legs, in desperate need for air.

Inhaling the necessary oxygen and coughing out the water in my lungs, I started panicking, because Peter was nowhere in sight and I didn't know how to swim. How would I have learnt, being locked up in a cottage my whole life?

Staying above water level was crucial now, so I started kicking with my feet again, making rapid movements, anything not to drown.

'Need any help?' I heard Peter's voice behind me, I didn't need to see him to imagine the amused look he had on his face.

Before I could answer, I was being pulled down by something, deeper and deeper into the unknown.

This was not going well; not like I had expected. Wasn't I supposed to be safe in Neverland?

Involuntarily drawing in a breath, the water reached my airways. Soon, my eyelids closed with a lack of oxygen reaching me brain, I slid into unconsciousness.

'Oh, this is not happening. Not on the first day.' I identified the voice with Peter's, despair evident.

He was applying pressure to my chest, trying to get my heart to pump.

My eyes fluttered open, but everything was still blurry.

'Peter?' I managed to croak, whilst coughing, expelling remaining water in my body.

He collapsed next to me and breathed out heavily.

'You passed out for a couple minutes.'

'What happened? What pulled me down?' I demanded.

'Some mermaid. Those vain creatures try to kill every female on first sight. Well, they won't be messing with you anymore.' Peter turned to look at me, propped on his elbow, concern in his eyes.

'Thank you.' I figured he had saved me.

Before I knew it, he scooted closer to me and held me in a tight embrace.

'Wouldn't want you hurt; or that precious little heart.' He said innocently.

Confused and scared by his remark, but quickly dismissing it, I relaxed in his arms, smelling his scent. Like Neverland; jungle and wildness.

Peter pulled away, only to brush away damp strands of my hair from my face. Cold from the wet clothes, I started to shiver, but Peter held me firmly, the heat radiating from his chest.

His grey eyes searched for mine, and sometimes they would flicker to my lips. My heart was beating eccentrically and wherever our bare skins would touch, it burned.

Peter leaned in, and my eyes widened in realization of what was going to happen.

But instead of kissing me, he whispered softly. 'You're missing a beautiful sunset.'

Slightly disappointed, I shifted as fast as I could, trying to hide an embarrassed look.

True to Peter's word, it was beautiful. Not that I could compare many sunsets.

The sun was setting, the ocean glistening from the reflection of the glowing light and the clouds had turned magenta.

I felt Peter pull the sleeve of my blouse, exposing my shoulder, and kiss it lightly, while I closed my eyes, enjoying the pleasure.

**So, yeah! (ElektraMackenzie...I hope this suffices...)**

**Reviews are my Christmas presents, so please, it means a lot when someone takes their time to write a review!**

**Love you all so very much,**

**aureaborealis**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey everybody,**

**sorry for not posting yesterday (I needed a break), but not to worry!**

**I hope you like this chapter (a little more Felix)!**

******Disclaimer: Sadly,I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 14

We were walking along a dirt path back to camp.

The sun had finally set and the jungle, bursting with color by day, turned into a hostile environment by night. Everything was various shades of darkened black and snarls of dangerous-sounding creatures made me vigilant; always glancing past my shoulder furtively.

Holding Peter's hand, I felt protected. After all, this was his island and he had magic.

'The fun is just about to begin.'

The sinister meaning of his words didn't catch my attention, rather I reminisced on what bliss I had felt as his soft lips brushed my shoulder. Didn't he know how tantalizing it was for me? That second he leaned in, or when his eyes would flash to my lips, I was sure he felt and wanted the same. Or was I just imagining these things, wanting them to be true?

I wasn't really experienced in romance. I remember kissing someone not long ago…but that was pretty much about fact, I didn't remember much about my past; except living with my mother near the woods. But even I could read signs and body language; I wasn't a total fool.

An image of Peter cupping my face as I balanced on my toes to reach his eye level came to mind, and I continued the fantasy. How I would wrap my arms around his neck, bringing us even closer…how he would make the move, the kiss so innocent, but turning into something so much more intensely passionate.

I shook the thought out of my head as I heard the shouts of the Lost Boys. They had war paint on their faces and were sitting by the fire, waiting anxiously for something.

'Boys, let's go hunt,' Peter proclaimed, giving them the words they had been waiting for.

Excited, the Boys jumped up to get their weapons. To me, it was troubling to see such young boys run around with knives, swords and spears, violence stamped in the forefront of their minds**. **But they were Lost Boys; hunting was their second nature.

'Peter, I don't know how to,' I tugged on his arm, biting my lip unintentionally, almost afraid to look weak in his eyes.

'Don't worry, Felix will teach you. He's my most loyal Lost Boy; he won't let anything happen to you.'

And without Peter needing to call him, Felix arrived next to him. Standing next to each other in front of me, I took in all the differences. Even though Felix was taller and looked older, it was clear who the alpha was.

'Come along, Lost Girl.' He seemed annoyed with the fact that he would have to waste his time teaching someone, spoiling his fun of hunting for the day.

Following him to his hut, I quickly turned around to see Peter waving goodbye before he disappeared into thin air, and I stepped inside.

There wasn't much to see. A simple comfortable looking bed and different weapons, all laid out on a table.

'Just choose one.' Felix pointed to them disinterestedly and started tapping his foot impatiently as I gazed in wonder at his collection.

I decided to use the bow, since it was the only thing I knew how to handle.

_'I know that I don't let you go to the city, or outside at all, but since it's your sixteenth birthday, I thought you would want to practise with me.'_

_Mother had given me a bow for my earlier birthday, but for a whole year it stood in the corner of my room, useless. I was shocked by the prospect that I would finally be able to go outside and learn._

_'Oh thank you, Mother!' I exclaimed happily._

_We stood near the house. I was holding the bow in my hand, ready to string the arrow._

_'Ah, ah, dear one, wait. You have to...'_

How weird. The memory abruptly stopped, like nothing ever happened. I couldn't remember what came after. It wasn't because of the time, I had gone to practise archery with mother only two years ago. It had to be something else…

Felix had already left the hut and was waiting for me outside.

'Do you know what you have to do?' He asked in his monotone voice.

Taking my silence as a 'no', He stepped towards me and gave me quick and direct instructions.

'Point the bow towards the ground and place the arrow on the arrow rest. Attach the back of the arrow to the bow-string with the nock, then place the arrow below the nock bead. Quite simple.'

He huffed in acceptance as I showed him the result of following his commands.

'Now, use three fingers to lightly hold the arrow on the string. Then raise the bow and pull the string back to your ear.'

Seeing my struggle, Felix went to stand close behind me, guiding me and adjusting my elbows and posture. The gentleness of his actions surprised me.

'Once you have the target, release,' He whispered softly, and I did as he said, letting my hand relax and let the arrow go.

The arrow didn't fly very far, straight or accurate, I could hear Felix trying to suppress his laugh at my failed attempt, but it didn't stop me from trying once more.

My target this time was a piece of large wood lying near the fire, it wasn't too far away and I hoped I wouldn't miss.

Hearing Felix's instructions in my head, I let go of the arrow and it hit the wood, just like I wanted it to.

'Let's go hunt.' He nodded towards the jungle with a satisfied smirk.

Felix was following the trail of a deer, me close behind. A few minutes ago, I was scared of the jungle and all what lurked somewhere, but now, with a bow in my hand and a quiver on my back**,** I found it exhilarating.

'There.'

Near the bushes, a couple of meters away from us, stood the target.

I knew that Felix, with his monstrosity of a club, would scare the game away. But me with my bow? I definitely had a better chance.

I raised the bow, arrow already in place, and waited.

Too many thoughts plagued my mind in that moment, none of them relevant or necessary. Why didn't Peter kiss me when he had the chance? Why couldn't I remember more about my sixteenth birthday? Why was Felix here, I didn't recall reading about him in the book?

'Don't think. Just feel.' I felt him place his large hands on my shoulders, the words encouraging me to forget for a moment.

_Once you have the target, release._

The arrow missed and hit the ground, making noise and causing the animal to run away. My body sagged, disappointment filling me as I realized that my chance to prove myself was still running around the island and my arrow was sitting limply in the dirt.

'Not bad for a first try, now we better head back to camp.' I noticed how the mask of emotionless apathy faltered and his flat tone had sounded more alive. A little like when I met him the first night.

On the way, he would try to make conversation and ask questions. 'You never told me your name.'

'Aura.'

'Do you like it here in Neverland? What have you seen already?'

I told him about the burned field and my 'swim' with the mermaids, leaving out details about Peter.

'Where do you come from?' His sudden interest and change of personality amazed me, he truly was acting like a boy, curious about everything. It made me wonder why; wasn't Neverland adventurous enough?

'I came from the Enchanted Forest.' I tried to think of how it looked like, but I only knew the name. Details eluded me.

'Oh, Peter always travels there. He brings stories from your world and writes them down. Can you read?'

'Of course,' I answered, laughing in my head.

To me, reading was a natural thing, like breathing. Once you knew how to, you would never forget.

'Could you, maybe read me one of those books? I don't know how to and Peter never reads to us.' Felix seemed almost nervous, but there was something like hope in his eyes.

I found myself replying with a small smile.

'Sure, Felix.'

**I cannot believe it's already Chapter 14! And still, so many more ideas are to come...**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated!**

**Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey every****body,**

**once again, I am sorry for not posting this yesterday, but I had writer's block and a headache...all gone and a new chapter for you! More Peter/Aura, so I hope you like it!**

**********Disclaimer: Sadly,I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 15

When Felix and I arrived at camp, some of the Lost Boys were cleaning their weapons that dripped with blood, fresh from the hunting trip, whilst others were heading to their beds.

They looked almost reluctant to go to sleep, but I didn't question it.

Handing the bow and arrow back to Felix, I turned to him, only to be greeted by a confused look.

After standing in awkward silence, me waiting for him to accept the weapons, and him trying to figure out what was happening, he snapped out of his gaze and into realization.

'You can keep it; I don't use the bow anyway.'

Felix with a bow? I chuckled inwardly at the vision.

I nodded in gratitude, however, he kept talking.

'You...you have really long hair. Reminds me of somebody...' Felix's voice was reminiscent, as he stared at the ground before continuing

'Goodnight, Aura.'

I was saddened by the return of his monotone voice and the cold expression the goodbye had left on his face; he had turned back into the Lost Boy.

'Goodnight, Felix.' I bid him his goodnight, hoping I would see the other side, the kind side, of him soon.

Climbing the ladder to my home was tiresome. My muscles ached, not used to the physical activity. I placed the bow in the corner closest to the entrance and started stretching.

As my muscles contracted and lengthened, I relaxed and fell on the bed.

Heal. Hurt.

My heart started glowing, the ache faded as if it never was there. The calming feeling made me close my eyes and rest.

The sound of cries and sobs awoke me from a dreamless slumber. Stepping outside, I saw Felix sitting by the campfire, his cold eyes staring into the flames.

Plopping down next to him, he answered my question before I even had the chance to ask him.

'The Lost Boys. They cry every night.'

Why would the Boys cry? To live on an island, free of parental guidance, to be able to do whatever you wanted, wasn't that what every kid dreamed of?

'They're _Lost_ Boys, no one loves them. That's why they hear the flutes.' He answered my thoughts once again.

Only now did I understand why Felix was so cold; he had created a wall around himself, not letting any feelings bother him.

'Everyone deserves to feel loved.' I wasn't bothered by his distance anymore, and decided to console each crying Lost Boy.

Remembering what mother had done when I was crying at a very young age, I comforted them with kind words, dried the tears flowing from their puffy eyes, hugged them.

The youngest of the Lost Boys asked me if I could tell him a story as I gently brushed the hair from his forehead.

'Once upon a time, there was a kind and lovely queen, adored by the people of her realm. She wanted to have a daughter with skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony, and she was granted that wish. The mother took-' I recited the beginning of _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs_ that I had read a day ago, but was interrupted.

'What's a mother?' he asked, interest glinting in his eyes.

The question surprised me. Didn't the boy remember his parents?

'A mother is someone who guides you through life; is always there you. Someone who comforts you when you're sad, and forgives you for any mistakes. A mother loves you unconditionally.'

'Can you keep telling the story?' A voice behind whispered.

Turning around, I saw the Lost Boys standing at the entrance of the hut, urging me with the hopeful look in their eyes to continue.

After the Lost Boys returned to their beds and fell asleep without weeping, I retreated to my treehouse, exhausted with the events of today.

'You're like a mother to them.' Peter was leaning casually against the book shelf.

My heart began to beat uncontrollably. First, because Peter had startled me, and second, we were alone in the room.

'What are you doing here?' I managed to ask, ignoring the pounding of my heart.

He walked over to the bed and sat down, patting to the space next to him, motioning for me to sit.

'I wanted to spend time with you, get to know you. Don't you?'

Taking my sitting next to him a 'yes', he carried on.

'Now, I love to play, so why don't we make this a game? I ask a question, you have to answer truthfully, and then you get to ask me a question.' Peter turned to me, his eyebrows raised.

This would be the perfect opportunity to find out more about Peter, if I were to stay on his island forever, I should become acquainted with him. And I wanted to know about him…and more of him.

'Okay, Peter. How old are you?'

'Three hundred and forty-seven years old, but since time stands still and no one ages in Neverland, I am nineteen. My turn, what's your favourite color?'

We were both starting off easy.

'Green. How did you discover Neverland?'

'As a child, I was sold away to a blacksmith. He abused me, beat me, made me work, but at the end of the day I would escape that wretched life by thinking lovely thoughts. In my dreams I would visit Neverland, and one day, I was really there.'

That was something that wasn't mentioned in the book. I took hold of his hand, gently rubbing my thumb up and down the back of his hand in what I deemed to be a comforting motion.

'Do you like it here?' he asked, uncertainty lacing his voice.

'Why yes, Peter! I'm glad I decided to leave the past behind and come here; I don't have to grow up, I am with you. My dreams did come true.'

The corners of his lips twitched to a smile. Those lips I had been daydreaming about for so long. I couldn't deny my frustration; why didn't he make his move?

'Why did you bring me to Neverland, don't you only bring boys?'

'I brought you to Neverland, because I like you. You are special, someone to remember, but you were lost, you could hear the music...'

I didn't listen to the rest of the sentence, my mind couldn't concentrate after Peter said he liked me. My heart skipped several beats, so enthralled with the simple notion. I felt dizzy and leaned against his shoulder, trying to regain balance.

'Then why are you teasing me?' It wasn't my turn, and I realized I had uttered aloud the thoughts that were supposed to stay in my head, making me pull my hand away from his and cover my mouth.

But he had heard it; and there was no going back now.

The tingling sensation on my cheeks intensified, I stared at anything but him, ashamed of myself.

His hand gently lifted my chin, making me look into his grey eyes, two pools luring me in. I could finally identify the weird look he gave me during the celebration because it was evident this time, too.

Desire.

He was already so close, I could feel his hot breath on my face, while his hand that was holding my chin moved to cup my cheek.

Closing my eyes out of instinct, I waited, my heart was racing with nervousness. Peter closed the distance between us within a second.

Then our lips met.

For a second, I didn't do anything. Didn't move or even breathe, then slowly, I responded to the kiss, moving my lips with his. The hand cupping my cheek wandered to the back of my head, his fingers weaving into my hair, causing goosebumps to spread across my skin.

The flame inside me turned into fire and spread out from my chest to the rest of my body, down my arms and legs to the tips of my very being.

We stood up, and Peter, taken with a need, pushed me back against the wall.

The kiss, at first sweet and slow, quickly became more intense and heated as he started rubbing his body against mine.

Peter slowly pulled away, letting me take a much needed breath. He wrapped his warm hands around my wrists, taking them both tightly and holding them above my head, my body suddenly feeling open to him.

He leaned his forehead against mine and whispered huskily, his breath as lost as mine, 'How about that?'

**So, how about that!? Reviews are always appreciated!**

**Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey everybody,**

**first of all, the response to the last chapter made my heart stop...I was sooooo happy, so thank you!**

**And here is the next chapter! Hope you like it!**

**********Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 16

'You did break the rules, and that calls for a punishment.' A

mischievous grin crept its way onto his face.

My muscles grew tense, stiffening as I felt the color draining from my face.

Peter moved to my ear, his hands still holding my wrists, to whisper, 'Don't worry, you're an exception.'

'I would be willing to make an exception. Just for you. But you would still be breaking the rules..'

The dream of falling in Neverland and meeting Peter for the first time reminded me that breaking the rules was Peter's thing.

I calmed down as soon as I felt his teeth gently nibble my earlobe before his lips brushed my jaw line, moving to peck my lips.

'I'll see you in the morning.'

And just like that, he vanished into thin air, teasing me once again. Leaving me wanting and longing for more.

But I had a feeling, deep down, more would be coming soon.

'Should we wake her?' The cracking voice of one of the Lost Boys made me chuckle.

Little did they know I didn't get any shuteye after Peter left.

'I'm up.' I flung the blanket to the side and jumped out of bed enthusiastically. Today was going to be a good day.

It seemed as though the whole camp was cramped up in the little tree house. My heart sank when I didn't see the tallest of the Lost Boys with his messy ash-blond hair.

'We wanted to thank you for yesterday. For being there for us. We brought you breakfast.' The youngest Boy, his name Tootles, handed me a basket full of colorful fruit.

I took a bite from a heavy oval-shaped fruit with skin a mix of red and orange, surprising myself when the yellow flesh inside almost melted in my mouth, the juices running down my chin.

'What is this?' I asked, taking another bite from the heavenly fruit.

'It's a mango. They grow plentiful nearby.'

There was still so much to explore, see and learn.

'We were to visit the Indian's camp today, want to join us?' Tootles grabbed my free hand and pulled me through the crowd towards the entrance, as if I had no other choice then to tag along.

'Will Felix come, too?' I didn't know if I'd done something to scare him off yesterday, but the presence of all the others had me wondering if maybe Felix was avoiding me.

'He's already there.' My heart swelled up at hearing Peter's voice, my eyes darting to find him.

The look of hurt and jealously in his eyes that I had asked for Felix and not him, didn't go unnoticed.

'Then let's go.' I took his hand, perhaps in an effort to make up for it, and followed the Lost Boys.

We entered a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in grass and dried up clay, where teepees surrounded a huge fire.

The men were working in a field close to the camp, while the women hung up clothes to dry or made food. I searched the area for Felix, and saw him sitting on the ground while some children were attaching feathers and beads to his hair.

When they caught sight of us approaching, they dropped everything and ran towards us.

'Finally! We've been waiting long enough.' One of the older ones sighed impatiently.

'And you've brought a guest.' A beautiful girl with long black hair shot me a glare, jealousy laced in her voice as she laid eyes on mine and Peter's entwined hands.

'Now, now, it's only been two days. This time we'll play 'hide and catch' and we will most definitely win, won't we, Boys?' Peter announced, making everybody cheer.

'This is Aura, and if she gets harmed by any of you, well, it won't end pretty for you. The perimeter is the whole island, and the game ends at sunset. You-' he motioned to the Indians 'will be searching. Pair up, play fair and good luck.'

'You won't be playing with us?' I couldn't hide the disappointment in my voice.

'No, I have some important business to finish with the chief. But I'll be back for tonight.' Peter trailed his fingertips along my neck and firmly pressed his lips on mine, making me forget everything for a second.

'I think Felix is waiting.' And Peter was gone.

'Want to team up?' I asked, noticing his coldness vanishing at the disappearance of Pan.

Felix nodded. 'I know a good hiding spot. Follow me.' He took my hand and lead me away from the field, all the way through the jungle and into a hidden natural cave I didn't seem to notice was there.

'Nobody does. They won't find us here.' Again, it was like he was reading my mind and answering unsaid questions in my head.

'Why are you so nice to me?' I challenged him, really curious as to why that was, if he normally was so cold and unfeeling, but loosened up whenever we were with each other.

'I can't explain it, but since you came, everything is changing. You're affecting Neverland, it's full of life, the Boys are not crying anymore and Peter...well, he's been nicer to everyone. Normally, when you're here, you start to forget about your life before Neverland, but when we went hunting, I started to remember things. Memories.'

That would explain why my memories were cut off and I didn't have as many flashbacks of my mother as normal. I was truly becoming a Lost One, never looking back.

'And for some reason, I have this urge to protect you and be there for you. Maybe it's the way my heart is expressing its gratitude for making me whole again.'

My heart was healing the hurt. Saving what was lost. Bringing back what once belonged to someone.

'What do you remember, Felix?' I sat down next to him, leaning against the cold wall.

'My father. He was wearing a blue cloak and he had a long white beard and glasses. Thank goodness I don't age, or I would end up looking like that.' I couldn't help but laugh with him at his joke.

'He told me to take good care of my sister, to never let her out of sight. Kept mentioning she was important and as long as she loved me, everything would be fine.' He closed his eyes, and I saw a tear slip past his confusion.

He had a family. Someone that loved him. But he was a Lost One, he wasn't loved anymore. And seeing him open up in front of me, someone he had met a few days ago, and trust me with his memories made me feel special. I wanted him to feel special, too.

I hugged him, telling him he could find happiness here amongst his brothers. It took a while before he wrapped his strong around me, and we stayed in this embrace, somehow familiar and comforting, until the game ended.

Seated around the fire of our camp, we ate a stew with the meat of an animal the Lost Boys had hunted down yesterday and shared stories of adventures. Like back when Tootles had accidentally found pixie dust lying around, and being the curious boy he was, sniffed it and started flying around the island.

Or how they fought against a crocodile with monstrous teeth and defeated it.

'How about a bedtime story?' I asked the boys who already looked tired.

Quickly getting a book from the tree house, I returned and started reading aloud.

'Once upon a time, there was a brother and sister who were lost in the woods, looking for their father...'

'...and they all lived happily ever after,' I finished, closing the book and smiled to myself when I saw how peaceful the Boys looked asleep. No crying, just soft whimpers.

Jumping when I felt strong hands on my shoulders, Peter slumped next to me.

'Now, where were we up to?' He draped his arm on my shoulder, pulling me closer to him.

**Reviews are always appreciated!**

**Happy New Years Eve!**

**Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey everybody,**

**it's New Year's Eve! 2014 is coming! And here's a new chapter, just for you! Really hope you like it! Can't wait for your reaction!**

**************Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 17

My head was resting on Peter's chest, just above his steady-beating heart, stirring me from a dreamless sleep.

Somehow, he had brought us to my bed after a rather sensual evening by the campfire with many kisses and whispers of sweet nothings.

I don't know, but somehow, amongst all the wonders of Neverland, Peter had touched something deeper than anyone ever had. And I didn't want to admit it to myself, but there was something about the way he held me. Maybe it was because I knew his story and the fact that he symbolized freedom and youth, but I still couldn't pull myself away from the boy lying next to me. He had been nothing but nice and kind to me. He had admitted he liked me…he had kissed me.

The few moments of peace gave me enough time to study his face; how calm and carefree he looked. Even though his eyes were closed, I knew exactly where each little speck of faint light blue that dotted them were. I brushed the disheveled brown hair from his forehead, and planted light kisses from his brow, down the nose to his full lips, swollen from yesterday's action. Stirring from sleep, the edges curled up to a smile.

'Don't stop,' he murmured, his eyes still closed.

This time, I tried to pour all my emotion, everything I felt for him, into the kiss.

Feeling my need, Peter responded by flipping us around, the positions reversed.

His lips started to trail along my neck, eliciting soft moans, and I gasped as he found my pulse point, gently sucking on it.

I was all too aware of what could happen if this went on, turn into something more serious. And although my body was clearly betraying me, somehow, the idea of _this_ kind of intimacy as a proof of real love was stuck into my head. And a small voice in the back of my mind refrained me from continuing, telling me it was too early and I might regret my decision later.

Sensing my uncertainty the moment it even entered my thoughts, Peter stopped at once and sat up at the edge of the bed.

'I'm sorry. I...I shouldn't have-'

'You don't need to apologize. It's just...I'm not ready, yet.'

'Then I will wait.' Peter looked back at me, yearning in his eyes.

At first, I had a sense of deja vu of hearing that answer somewhere in the past, then the meaning of his words hit me like a ton of bricks. He felt it, too. Wanted it. The annoying voice in my head kept lecturing me about how maybe it wasn't love,only desire, something normal for an adolescent boy to feel on an island full of other boys. But deep down, I desperately wanted to believe Peter not only liked me, but that it went beyond that. That he could possibly love me.

'Would you like to meet Tinkerbell, and talk about, I don't know, girly stuff?' Peter interrupted asked as we sat outside eating with the Lost Boys. He was treading unknown territory and it was quite amusing to watch how he almost stuttered each word.

'Sure. A nice change from all you boys.' I smiled, setting aside my bowl of porridge, eager to meet the fairy I'd read so much about.

'Well, just run along the path here, it will lead you to her house.' Peter pointed to one of the many trails, before pushing his breakfast away and kissing me goodbye chastely.

Many of the Lost Ones present groaned in disapproval. The occasional 'ewwww' was heard.

Treading to my destination, I couldn't help but think about the fact that Peter was getting rid of me for quite a few hours. Was it intentional? Was he hiding something? Was he avoiding me because of my uneasiness before?

I pushed aside my worries as I spotted a woman jumping out of a tree house, similar to mine.

'Are you Tinkerbell?' I asked, looking up at the blond girl with a smile.

'Yes, and you're a girl!' Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me from the top of my head to the end of my toes, the way she smiled at me confirmed my suspicion.

There weren't many girls in Neverland.

'Come on in, I have some tea.' She nodded to her home excitedly, causing her messy bun to loosen.

After only five minutes, I had found out everything I needed to know about Tinkerbell, from her favourite color to what she had cooked yesterday, not leaving out any details.

'I'm sorry if this is rude, but why don't you have any wings?'

And then the bubbly talkative woman sitting there, sipping her tea, went quiet for the first time.

I set my cup aside, my face falling as I noted in my head that I had pushed the fairy too far. 'I shouldn't have asked, I'm so sor-'

'No, no. It's fine. I'm just trying to put it together in words,' she interrupted.

After a while in complete silence, Tinkerbell carried on.

'I lost them trying to fulfill a woman's happiness. Regina was bitter and lonely, desperate for love, and I wanted to help her. My superior, the Blue Fairy told me the woman was beyond needing help, she was called the Evil Queen for a reason. But everyone deserves to love, so I snuck out, stole some pixie dust and led her to her true love. Later, Regina called me a terrible fairy, because the man was not her love. But pixie dust never fails, it will always lead you to your love. The Blue Fairy caught me and took away my wings by not believing in me anymore. Nobody has ever since. After losing my fairy powers, I was banished to Neverland, and well, here we are.' Her gloomy state changed the second she finished retelling her tale, as though she was trying to remove the painful memories with a smile.

Again, I was baffled how different the person in front of me from my storybook.

'I'm sorry.' I squeezed her hand tenderly, offering my comfort.

'Well, I can't change anything in the past. Only my future. So why did you come? Surely, not for that?'

'Peter kind of sent me here. I just wanted to talk.'

'What's your name again?'

'It's Aura.'

'Oh! You're the girl Peter was talking about. Kept coming here for days, just asking questions.'

That caught my attention. 'What did he ask?' I tried hard to hide the jealousy.

'Things he never bothered asking before. Like what flowers girls like, or how to act like a well behaved boy. Basically advice.' Her giggle was quite contagious, it did seem weird as to why Peter, a carefree boy with no troubles, would ask something so silly.

Thinking of Peter reminded the constant struggle I was having with my mind about if he felt something deeper for me. There would be only one way to know for sure.

'Do you have any pixie dust?' I asked, a plan already forming in my head.

'Plenty. Need any?' Tinkerbell opened a cupboard, exposing neatly arrayed vials of green dust.

'It will lead me to my love, right?' I caught one vial she threw to me.

'Yes. Sprinkle some on yourself, and if your true love is here on the island, the green-glowing will lead you to them. Only you can see the dust. But you have to really believe, or it won't work.'

She followed me outside, just to make sure I didn't make any mistakes while following her instructions.

'I think we'll be really good friends, Aura. I hope you find your happiness. It will make me incredibly happy.'

I patted her on the shoulder. 'I'd like to be friends.'

She answered with an infectious wide smile before I sprinkled some pixie dust on me, closed my eyes, and cleared my mind of any unwanted thoughts.

Just believe.

I felt a surge of pure magic run its course through my veins, before I opened my eyes and saw a green path in front of me.

'Don't worry, Tink,' I said to her as I saw the path, 'Someone will believe in you… I'm starting to.'

And with those words I headed off. The path led me back to camp through the jungle. I was walking endlessly, always following the path, but still it felt like I was running in circles.

My love was on the island. And in response, my heart was beating so hard, not from physical activity, but from anticipation that made my stomach ache.

Finally, I reached the shore and the green trail stopped.

My eyes, trained on the ground, slowly moved upward to see the back of a boy.

'Hey,' I whispered to my love.

Startled, the boy turned around.

'_Aura?_'

The familiar huskiness made my heart stop completely.

**Sorry for the cliffhanger! (But I think we all know who it is) So next year, you'll get the answer!**

**Reviews are always appreciated!**

**Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey everyone,**

**Happy New Year! **

**First chapter of 2014, this took me the longest to write...hope you like it!**

**************Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 18

I stood frozen, my feet stuck to the ground beneath me, my eyes fixed on the Lost Boy.

'Are you alright?' The worry in Peter's eyes didn't affect me.

_Pixie dust never fails. It leads to your happiness, to your true love._

Suddenly I realized that every touch, kiss and word had a meaning.

They were all acts of love...not only that, but true love. The small voice berating me about the difference between love and desire was slowly fading.

This explained everything. Why my heart would beat faster at sight of him. Why I was so nervous and blushed when we were so close. How I would think of him when he wasn't present. I had gradually been falling in love with this Lost Boy – because it was inevitable that we would find each other. Us. We were inevitable.

Only when I felt Peter's arms around me in a warm embrace, heat emitting from his chest, did my frozen state thaw.

Thinking of his previous question, I answered truthfully. 'I'm fine, I just don't know why I was so distant. What are you doing here?'

'I'll show you. Just close your eyes and trust me.' His hands covered my eyes and with instructions where to step we set out to his destination.

I could feel the scorching heat on the crunching sand, sometimes a coldness, meaning we were walking through a shaded area. But my senses were heightened with my lack of sight; anticipation mixing with the hidden joy that was filling my being.

Finally he took his hands away, letting me take in the breathtaking scenery. We were standing in a secluded cove; the soft waves of the endless ocean to my right, a huge wall of rock to my left.

It reminded me, just like the secret cave Felix had showed me, of how much was still hidden and waiting to be discovered in Neverland.

'I thought it would be a nice idea to have a picnic here. Away from the world, just the two of us.'

Spending the day with him alone, yet again, made my heart soar. Maybe it was time to tell him.

I turned to face him, to tell him of the pixie-dust and my love, but he held something behind his back, causing me to momentarily forget my pressing declaration.

'This is for you. A beautiful flower for an even more beautiful girl.' Peter brought out a single white lily from behind and handed it to me delicately.

It was a simple gesture, but it only proved my theory of my affections being returned even more.

'Tinkerbell did mention you having trouble with flowers and such things.' I stated casually while smelling the flower, a small smile creeping into my voice.

'I trusted her enough not to exploit my weaknesses...' He feigned being hurt and plopped down to the blanket which had suddenly appeared.

'I wouldn't call it that. Just the thought of you doing this makes me happy. Thank you, Peter.' I sat down next to him and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

Only a blanket wasn't a complete picnic, so closing my eyes, I thought of the different fruits the Lost Boys had brought me for breakfast once and freshly baked tarts along with other sweet desserts.

_Just believe._

Bowls of the fruit and a plate with the sweet treats materialized in front of my eyes. Living here definitely had its benefits.

Peter went for a pastry, while I grabbed a big red apple, taking a bite.

'There used to be a saying back home. An apple..' I began to tell, but, like my other memories of my past that were cut off, I couldn't remember.

Peter raised his eyebrows, wiping away the crumbs and leftover filling from his lips.

'I don't know how it goes anymore. I do love apples, though I can't complain about the mango.' I quickly shook off my confusion and continued to eat my apple.

We spent the rest of the day finishing the food and taking a long stroll along the beach until the sun had set. Time did fly very fast with Peter.

There never seemed to be the right situation to bring up the events of this morning. It appeared true love would have to wait. But I promised myself that before we headed back to camp we would talk about it.

Laying down on the blanket and cuddling, we gazed at the stars of Neverland.

'That star, if you follow it, can lead you back home.' Peter pointed to the star on the right of a very prominent shining star.

The second star to the right.

'I would never want to go home, Peter. I am truly happy here with you, being lost.'

Now or never.

'Peter, what do you think about love?' During our walk I had had enough time to think about how to approach this delicate matter.

Peter didn't speak for a long time, contemplating his words carefully.

'To love is to be vulnerable. Loving someone is a weakness, opening your heart can break it.' He expressed the words with a sense of repulsion.

His words touched me deep. But I refused to let them affect me until I knew.

'Am I a weakness?'

'You have been from the beginning I looked into your eyes.' Peter shifted his weight on his side, turning to me, and I mimicked his movements.

Him saying these kinds of things made me feel more confident in expressing my own feelings.

'And worst of all, love means growing up. Something I never wanted to do. That's why I stayed in Neverland for so long. Defying all the laws and rules, I wanted to stay a child forever, never having to look back and worry about grown-up things like love, patience and morality. I know what these words mean, but I don't really know, either. Years of not having to feel those things made my heart impervious, I just cannot love.' The way he said the words, ramblig as if they didn't affect him, showed how...well, heartless he was.

I read in a book that heartbreak was the worst pain you could feel. Forget breaking bones or burning in searing heat, that could be mended with a healer and special herbs, but a broken heart would be a scar following you, no matter where you went.

And it wasn't a clean cut either. It was a slow burn, a slow break. And just as I thought I was on the verge of the chasm, tears threatening me behind my eyes, Peter spoke again, turning to me with troubled eyes.

'But with you, I can feel again. I don't know how, but it feels like the ice, something that's surrounded my heart for so long, is finally melting. Maybe it's the power of your heart bringing back what once used to be mine.'

And the tears receded as fast as they came when he cupped my face, sending warm signals to my heart. I could almost feel it glowing brighter within my chest.

'Do you know what pixie dust can do?' I whispered, trying to lead him to the reveal.

He nodded like it was the most obvious question. 'Makes you fly, heals your wounds and leads you to happiness, to your one true...love...' The last words got slower as he finally pieced the puzzle together, his eyes widening in realization.

'Tink gave you some, and you used it. It brought you to me, didn't it?' Peter sat up quickly, not daring to look into my eyes.

'Yes. And I'm…sorry.' In a way, I blamed myself for putting him in a position of taking sides. Love me – and with it, growing up, or youth. It was selfish of me to want him to choose my side, to choose me, but I wanted to be happy, and for him to be happy, too.

'What's going to happen now?' I rested my hand on his chest to feel his irregular heartbeat.

After a long silence, his racing heart calming down, Peter spoke, the words filling my heart with hope and above it all, love.

'I guess…I'll have to make an exception.'

He cemented his words by leaning down so our lips could meet, pouring in all emotion that was left unsaid. This time I was completely sure of what he was showing me in his kiss. I felt it in my heart –

The first Lost Boy was beginning to love.

**So, yeah..it's Peter. Reviews are always appreciated! **

**(Peter's definition of love is based on my view, and some quotes from C.S. Lewis and James Baldwin shortened and mashed up.)**

**I will be gone for three days, so chapter-updates might be slow...I apologize in advance, but I didn't leave you with a cliffhanger and I think this chapter was rather nice...**

**Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey everybody,**

**I'm back from my mini-vacation! Anybody miss me? (Nope...) A new chapter just for you!**

**Hope you like it!****I cannot believe school starts in three days!? **

******************Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 19

**Felix's POV:**

It was midday when I caught a glimpse of Aura walking past the camp, determined to reach some unknown destination. She seemed to be following something invisible, eyes always trained on the ground.

Pan had given me strict orders to stay with the Lost Boys. But seeing her, alone, made everything within me want to disobey.

It was crazy. All the years I had been the 'most loyal' of the Lost Ones, constantly heeding Pan's whim, and the second I had been in Aura's presence, everything changed.

I shouldn't be having such protective thoughts. My life belonged to Pan; I would do his bidding, no matter the girl.

Telling myself once more that she was safe with Pan, I managed to focus on other things.

But night had fallen, and they still hadn't returned. What was Pan doing?

I sent all the boys to bed while I paced restlessly in my hut. Hunting would take my mind of things, make me forget for a short time, and although this seemed like a good solution, I didn't want to forget Aura, not even for a second. And so my anxiety took hold.

Giving into a much needed sleep, I closed my eyes and laid down on my bed.

_'Now, Felix, I trust you to be able to take good care of her.' Papa lovingly stroked the sleeping girl's cheek, sitting at the edge of her bed._

_'Of course, I would do anything for my sister.' I tried to reassure him, telling him and myself that I was and always would be the responsible brother she needed._

_'Good, because one day you might have to.' The coldness in his voice didn't startle me, his eyes still focused on the girl's hair._

_That was the burden of being a big brother. Always taking care of the younger ones. I couldn't help but feel jealous, why did she get all the attention?_

_She had inherited papa's viridian eyes, whereas I had a meek excuse for the color green. Father showered her with gifts, attention and love, whereas I got the cold shoulder and had to fend for myself. The only thing we had in common was our blond hair._

_I was the one who watched her. I should have been getting adoration from papa, but looking at her angelic face, framed with golden strands of hair, I forgot my envy and thought how lucky I was to even have a sister._

_'She is very important. Her heart is special, it can heal what has been hurt, save what has been lost, bring back what once used to belong. As long as she loves you, everything will be fine. Just always watch her; never leave her out of your sight.' He finally turned to me, looking me in the eyes; full of a magical fire._

_I wasn't that surprised; we lived in a whole world full of magic and wonders. Close by our house lived a good witch, and father was a powerful wizard._

_'And what happens when she stops loving me?' I asked curiously._

_'Then she will make you remember and bring back lost memories.'_

My eyes shot open. I kept having this particular memory in my dreams, ever since I had gone hunting with Aura. _Make you remember. Bring back lost memories._ She had made me remember my past, before Neverland. There was an eerie familiarity between the girl here in Neverland and the baby girl with viridian eyes who I had promised to never leave.

**Aura's POV:**

When I woke up in my bed, Peter wasn't with me. Instead of where he should lay next to me, there was a single sheet of paper.

**_Aura,_**

**_I have some unfinished business I must attend to. Sadly, I will be gone the rest of the day. Spend time with the Lost Boys, Felix will take care of you._**

**_Tonight will be special,_**

**_Peter_**

Though I was saddened by the fact that Peter wouldn't be with me, it only me more exicted for tonight, exhilarated by what he could have planned.

I was happy to be with the Boys; with Felix. They were almost like family.

Stepping out of the tree house, I saw the Lost Boys all surrounding the fire, eating their breakfast and chatting. Felix stood close by, scanning the camp. It was obvious he was looking for someone. And when he caught sight of me, his tense posture relaxed and the coldness in his eyes disappeared.

'Aura, you're back!' Tootles wrapped his arms around my waist.

I grinned at him; he was so small. From the corner of my eyes, I swear, I saw the corners of Felix's mouth twist to a smile.

'We wanted to play 'Capture the Princess' with you!' Tootles let go of me, while every other Boy stood up.

'I assume Felix is the princess, right?' I joked, today was going to be fun.

'Not really, he doesn't even look like one. Felix will play the protector, and we'll try to capture you. The game starts now!' Tootles answered very serious, not quite understanding the quip.

'And what about my breakfast?' My stomach, as if on cue, started to grumble.

'You can eat on the way, princess.' Felix took my hand and led me to the jungle.

After running ten minutes, trying to get as much distance from the search party, our sprint turned into a walk.

I quietly nibbled at some bread I made appear, while Felix kept shooting me perplexed glances.

'Is something wrong?' I stopped walking, finally wanting an answer.

Because it most certainly wasn't the first time I had seen that look.

'Please keep walking, we wouldn't want Tootles finding you.'

After seeing me stand still, stubborn and not satisfied with what he said, he reluctantly added. 'I'll tell you.'

Walking in silence for a while, he decided to talk.

'I had a dream. It was more a flashback. Of my father and my sister. Papa told me about the magical properties of her heart, that it could heal the sick, save what was lost-'

'Felix!' I interrupted, not listening to his words anymore.

There was a dangerous looking plant with black thorns ahead of us, but Felix kept talking, ignoring me.

'Father told me to look after her, the sweet angel with golden hair.'

'Felix!' I halted abruptly, my voice louder this time, trying to get Felix's attention, although it didn't work. He was going to walk straight into the plant.

'He told me she would make me remember. You…you look just like her.'

'FELIX!' A second before he touched the plant, I jumped forward, pushing him out of the way.

Only this seemed to bring him back to reality, out of his daze.

'Aura, I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened.'

My vision was clouded, I could see a silhouette standing up. I found it difficult to breathe and there was a sharp stinging pain in my side. My knees froze up in weakness and I slumped to the ground. Sounds of Felix's voice and Neverland's life were slowly fading and darkness overcame me as I drifted into unconsciousness.

**So, dun dun dun! (!spoiler!) everything goes downhill after that, so stay tuned...more chapters to come, and I can see some love scene in the very near future! Reviews are always appreciated****!**

**(ElektraMakenzie: I hope this makes up for jealous Felix, he is kinda :))**

**Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey everybody,**

**(guest: oh snap indeed!)**

**Hope you all like this chapter! More of Felix/Aura...**

**********************Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Once upon a Time, just the ideas in my head that I incorporated in this story!**

Chapter 20

**Felix's POV:**

When Aura slumped to the ground, clutching her right side, I could feel my heart twinge in pain, beating with harsh fast palpitations.

'Aura?' I shook her shoulders, but she was lost to me.

It was then that I became fully aware of what had happened only a few seconds ago. So caught up with telling her about my dream, I hadn't been concentrated on my surroundings. Quickly looking up, I recognized the danger. A thick bush of dreamshade. If Aura hadn't pushed me out of the way, I would've walked right in and poisoned myself…

It hit me. The pain in her side was the toxin. While saving me, she'd been scratched by a thorn.

'No, no, no!' I desperately unbuttoned her jacket and ripped her blouse, needing to see if my suspicions were right.

The scrape wasn't deep, but the venom was spreading in thin black veins from her hip to her heart. Her skin was getting paler by the minute; her breathing more labored with every breath. The protective side of my heart took over; I needed to save her. Pan couldn't find out, I had to act fast. There was only one place to go now.

It seemed the poison was taking its time, slowing down, as if it was giving me enough time to rescue her.

To reach Neverpeak Mountain, the Fountain of Youth, would take infinitely too long by foot, but we were in Neverland, a place full of magic…

I always kept a little vial of pixie-dust hidden in my boot, just for any kind of emergency. Sprinkling some dust of Aura and me, I tucked my arms under her knees and around her waist, holding her tightly against my chest as we began to rise from the ground.

It hadn't been my first time flying, but not touching the ground – a certainty that I had been used to all my life – made me queasy. I could feel Aura whimper and shake a couple of times as she was roused back to reality, but it only made me want to reach the destination even faster.

Gently setting her down against a rock, I walked towards the bushes made of innumerable vines of dreamshade, looking past to what they were concealing.

The Fountain of Youth.

The magical properties of the water meant that it could heal any wound, in this case, dreamshade poisoning. But like any magic, it always came with a price.

Remembering Pan's words, I thought of the bushes moving away, so I could get some water from the spring.

_Just believe._

Indeed the bushes had made way, and I rushed to the pool of water. Grabbing the closest shell, I dipped it into the cure. In the background, I could hear a wheezing and a faint call for my name.

Aura was covered in sweat, a common symptom of the poisoning, and although she was weak, her eyes were wide with fear.

'It hurts so badly, Felix. What's going to happen?' Tears began to slip down her cheeks, while she gripped her side, her hands shaking as the poison took hold.

'It's going to turn out fine. I have the cure. But there is a price.' It pained me to see her like this, I was supposed to protect her!

But here she was, having ended up protecting me, now lying at the point of Neverpeak Mountain skirting the verge of death.

'This water can heal you, take the pain and poison away. If you drink it, you will be bound to Neverland and you can never leave. But if you don't, you will die…soon.' It was egotistical for me to want her to choose to live, to stay here in Neverland forever, but this was a matter of life and death. But in the end, it was her choice.

'You say it like it's a curse to be here. Felix-' The sickly girl cupped my cheek lovingly.

She was always the strong one when we were alone, always comforting me when it was I who should be doing that.

'I am safe here. I have found my happiness here. I would never want to leave, not when I have found my true love and a family. Why should I leave you?' Her viridian eyes still had the fire in them I had seen the first day.

I handed her the shell with her cure; if she was happy here, then I wasn't going to be the one to stand in the way.

'Because I love you like a brother. And nobody leaves family behind.' She took a sip of the water and suddenly the color returned to her skin, her breathing evened out and her chest, her heart, started to glow.

_'The person she truly loves will be the most powerful. We have to keep her hidden. The little angel; she can't fall in love with the wrong person.' Papa started to take precautions, locking doors and using spells to protect the house._

_One time, as I walked through town with Aura in my arms, people kept shooting us weird, but curious looks. Nobody had seen a young girl with such long golden hair._

_Also, there was an incident where she had fallen and scraped her knee, but she just sat down and looked at the scratch, fully concentrated. In front of my eyes, her chest started to glow and the scrape was gone. Completely healed. Her heart had mended the wound._

_Since then, father hadn't allowed us to go outside, in fear someone would find out about the Aura's powers._

_The next morning after the 'knee incident', Aura was gone. Someone had kidnapped her. Someone powerful enough to break through the protective spells of Merlin, the all powerful wizard._

_Knowing she was in danger and fearing her gift could be misused, papa had set out to find her and left me alone. Nobody left family behind, but father had._

_My heart ached, not only for the loss of my father who never really loved me, but also for my two-year old sister who I hadn't spend enough time with and I regretted it. I had lost my family, my loved ones in one day._

_Heartbroken, I wandered through the cities close by our house. Slowly, I had turned into the image I remembered of my father. The cold, unfeeling person without a heart. I lived on the outside, but inside I was dying. Every day, I forgot more and more of my past and why I was grieving for someone I couldn't even remember. Until one day, I had heard the flutes of the Pied Piper. It could only be heard by children who were unloved and lost, which I was. Peter Pan offered me a new life, filled with adventures and no regrets. Never having to look back and think about problems. The deal was to go to Neverland as his second Lost Boy, the second in command, forever._

_Pan had saved me, I owed him my life. So in return for his gift, I gave him loyalty._

Aura was my sister. My long lost sister. The pieces fit: her long, golden hair, the distinctive eyes and her magical heart. That's why I had felt so protective…my heart had remember the bond of brother and sister, even whilst my mind had forgotten.

Even though my heart told me to tell Aura about my knowledge, I only managed to murmur a different thought. 'Who is your true love, Aura?'

Relieved she was healed, I hugged her in a tight embrace, at the same time I feared her answer.

'It's Peter.' She simply stated, though there was a glint in her eyes.

No, no. This was all wrong. My father's fear of her falling in love with the wrong person had come true. Grabbing her by the shoulders, I stared into her eyes. She looked so similar to the young sister I knew; the golden strands framing her face, and father's eyes.

Why? Over the years I had seen the true side of Peter Pan; he wasn't the adventurous boy full of hope, no, he had turned into a power-hungry, heartless demon.

Suddenly, I connected the dots. I knew of Pan's plan. My loyalty had its end. If he wanted Aura's heart, he would have to go through me first.

Nobody left family behind, you protected your loved ones. Even the ones you had lost.

**So, yeah! And subconsciously, Aura read Felix and the Lost Boys the story of Hansel and Gretel, a tale of brother and sister (you see what I did there?)...**

**I still cannot believe we're at chapter 20! I started writing end of November and look were we are now!**

**Reviews are always appreciated!**

**Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hey everybody,**

**a new chapter just for you! I found it a little weird the show didn't fully explore the relationship of Pan and Felix (not really), and why Felix is so super loyal and why he got the scar. This is based on my imagination, how I filled that hole. Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Once upon a Time, just the crazy ideas in my head that I incorporated into this story.**

Chapter 21

After I had drunk the water from the shell Felix gave me, I felt the magic run its course through my veins.

The constricting of my lungs ceased to exist; my blurry vision and pain had faded. I was healed. Now I could see the features of Felix's face, the worry lines on his forehead, the concerned look in his eyes.

My heart was glowing, although I didn't need to be healed anymore. It seemed to be working on something else – bringing back something lost…Felix's memories.

Not wanting to disturb his flashback, I kept my hands to myself, my fingers twitching with longing to shake him back to reality, out of his daze. I couldn't identify the look on his face, but it bothered me.

Snapping out if trance, Felix's eyes widened, his mind realizing something, though he decided not to tell me.

Instead, he asked me while hugging me in a tight embrace. 'Who is your true love, Aura?'

The question caught me off guard. Of all the questions to ask, it had to be this one? He didn't seem to care that my heart glowed right in front of him, instead he latched onto the one thing I could tell he didn't want to hear.

'It's Peter.' I simply stated, though my heart started beating faster at the thought of him.

Grabbing my shoulders, I stared into his faint green eyes, full of disapproval.

He didn't want me to love Peter, in some way, he was denying my happiness. I had told him I loved him like a brother, maybe I had given him false hope and broken his heart.

In a split second, I could see Felix's facial expression change; from the heartbroken scared boy to the protective Lost One. A plan was already forming in his mind.

'Come on, we have to get back.' He offered his hand pulling me up to my feet, both our eyes set on the smoke coming from the middle of the jungle. Camp.

The descent was rather easy, but still Felix kept telling me where to step. He probably knew the island like the back of his hand. Being second in command of Neverland, it was most likely he knew it as well, if not better, than Pan himself.

'Watch out, sharp rocks.'

'Don't touch that, it's poisonous.'

'If I walking too fast, you have to say so, Aura.' He finally stopped, glancing behind his shoulder to see me having trouble to maintain his pace.

It wasn't because of shortness of breath, or because my legs weren't used to the physical activity, but because of all the questions plaguing my mind, not letting me concentrate on the path that I found it difficult to keep up.

'What happened?' I moved closer to Felix.

'When you pushed me out of the way, you pricked yourself with dreamshade. It's a deadly poison, and only that specific water can save you from death.' There was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind, I had heard of this plant somewhere before.

'You had a memory, didn't you?'

He hesitated with his answer, selecting his words carefully. 'I...I remember why I had come to Neverland. How it had come to me choosing to leave my home behind. I saw my sister, you look just like her.' I reached for his hand, rubbing the back of his hand gently.

My heart clenched in pain, it was weird how I could feel exactly what Felix must have felt; the heartbreak and loss.

'Listen, if you're Pan's love, then he won't be pleased to hear you almost died because of me. There will be a punishment.' Felix grimaced when he thought of what Pan would do.

'My lips are sealed, Felix.' I squeezed his hand as a promise, and we continued to walk.

Just before we reached camp, I whispered. 'You're Peter's friend; I don't think he would hurt you. Or us, matter of fact.'

My reassurance didn't reach Felix. His face fell. My words had saddened him as we were greeted by the other Lost Boys.

**Felix's POV:**

The sight of Pan kissing my sister made the knots in my stomach twist. It took me all my power to keep my anger under control, to restrain myself from punching him in the face. It was disgusting, the way he was using her for personal gain, for the power of her heart. I knew from living with him for eighteen years that he had no heart, he just couldn't feel, therefore he couldn't love Aura. She, on the other hand, did truly love him. It was only a matter of time before he would be incredibly powerful…unstoppable.

An unyielding, power hungry demon who stayed young forever.

If I'd not known these things about him, about her, watching them would've been easier. But that would mean I'd never known Aura was my sister even when she was under my nose the entire time in Neverland.

When Aura would find out he didn't love her back, it would devastate her. All I wanted was her happiness; she had simply fallen in love with the wrong guy. Who knew what would happen? Would he just toss her away?

No, I told myself, this needed to end.

Sensing my irritation, Pan stopped practically molesting Aura and turned to me. His devious glinting eyes shot to other side of camp, somewhere we would be alone, uninterrupted and out of earshot. I nodded, understanding his silent message and moved to the area.

Shortly, Pan followed.

'What?' he spat, without a doubt unhappy I was keeping him from Aura. Good.

'You have to stop, Pan. I will not let you use Aura like this.'

He raised his eyebrows, surprised I had figured out his plan, but he shook it off quickly. Pan liked surprises, but this was different.

'Why do you care? What does she mean to you?'

'I know who she is, I remember who I am. We were very close before we came to Neverland.' I chose my words carefully, not wanting to reveal our bond too much.

Pan was green with jealousy; rage was boiling up inside him. I knew it was stupid of me to taunt him like this, it would only get me killed, but I owed it to Aura.

'Well, then it must be pretty awful for you to see me kiss and touch her. I was planning on getting intimate tonight. The pleasure would've been enough, but seeing you suffer will make it even more fun when I make her scream my name.' Pan edged closer, emphasizing each word.

True to his word, I did suffer from hearing what he had planned, but he had misunderstood my relationship to Aura. I couldn't take it any longer, I clenched my fists, ready to strike.

'We were not lovers, she is my sister!' I blurted out, and regretted it the next second.

At first, Pan stood frozen in shock, but then he grinned wickedly. The game plan had changed.

'You cannot abuse her like this, making her love you. You're torturing her.' The desperation in my voice made him laugh.

'Oh Felix...I know the bond between siblings can make you do crazy things. Are you really questioning your loyalty? Don't you remember why I brought you to Neverland in the first place?'

'Because I was unloved and lost,' I answered, the familiar coldness returning back to my heart.

'Indeed you were. Because your own sister didn't love you anymore. What makes you think she will love you again? It was me who made you forget and bring you to a new family that loved you. You didn't go to look for her, your father did. You were too selfish to think about Aura, and you lost her. Once you lose something, it can never be retrieved.'

How wrong he was. I had found my sister again. Aura's heart was bringing back what was lost, but the way he twisted the words made me rethink everything. And the sick part was, I actually believed him. Why would Aura want a brother who left her, didn't care for her?

'Now see Felix, I am also selfish. I have to admit, Aura is a very nice young woman, she makes a fine Lost Girl, but I only need her heart. Neverland is dying, and only when I have the powers, will I be able to restore it. So, it's either your sister suffers or everybody dies. Think about it.'

Pan touched my chest, I knew my heart was once again surrounded by the wall that didn't let any emotions in or out.

'You will not ruin my plans. Remember; Pan always gets what he wants.'

My heart couldn't feel, my mind was screaming to defy him, to save Aura. All I managed was to nod like an obedient puppy. I was outraged about how much control Pan had over me, but mostly, I was disgusted with myself. How easily I had turned back to the most loyal Lost Boy.

'And Felix-' Pan smiled deviously.

There was no pain at first, only the movement of Pan's blade slashing my face. Then came the burning. And the blood. I had slumped to the ground, my face in my hands, trying to stop the bleeding.

'Let this be a reminder of how grateful you should be that I saved you. Of where your place is. Never, ever question your loyalty to me.' He slouched down to my level and continued.

'Next time you defy me, I won't kill you. I'll make you watch as I kill your precious little sister.' Pan dropped the blade and started walking towards the campfire, leaving me to fend for myself, lying upon the ground as my face burned in excruciating pain.

**So, yeah...poor Felix and poor Aura...damn Peter! **

**See you all next chapter! Reviews are always appreciated!**

**Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey everybody,**

**so holidays are officially over for me now, too (I had a day off...) which sucks...**

**A new chapter just for you! Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Once upon a Time, just the crazy ideas in my head that I incorporated into the story.**

Chapter 22

While Peter moved his lips against mine, I could sense Felix's discomfort. He let out a growl, his body tense; his fists clenched and it made me feel sorry for him. I felt as though there was some kind of pull between us, but I put it down to the sibling-like love I felt for him.

Aware of the death-glare Felix was shooting him, Peter stopped and looked to the far side of camp, where it was lonely and secluded. Felix read the look and walked to the area.

'Aura, do tell the Boys how you managed to stay hidden.' He was clearly dismissing me, saying the words relatively calm, but there was a tone of anger in them, too.

Something was up. Did he already know about the dreamshade? Was Felix going to get in trouble, or possibly even worse?

'Yeah, come sit by the fire.' Tootles grabbed my hand and led me to the others, not giving me the chance to question what Peter was going to do.

All I could see was the devious glint flashing in his grey eyes as he walked to the far side of camp where Felix must have been. And this scared me.

During the time they were away, I told the Boys how Felix and I had trekked through the thick jungle, leaving out the details of almost dying. The thought of Felix and Peter kept nagging at me in the back of my mind. Trying to reassure myself that Peter wouldn't hurt Felix because they were like brothers, I eased my worry…or tried to.

'Are you going to stay with us forever?' one of the Lost Boys asked, his wide eyes expressing curiosity.

'Of course. Why would I leave the place where I feel like I'm at home?'

'We would never want you to leave, you're like our...what's it called? Mother.'

Before there was a possibility for the meaning of their words to sink in, Peter had arrived.

'Boys, tonight marks the day Aura truly has become one of us. Our very first Lost Girl.' He took my hand and held our entwined hands triumphantly in the air.

'This calls for a proper celebration at the falling of dusk!'

The camp buzzed with excitement; everyone was running around, preparing for tonight.

New logs with intricate markings replaced the old rotten ones around the fire, tables with different kinds of foods popped out of nowhere and some Boys were making animal masks of wood. I had insisted on helping, but they kept pushing me out of the way, so I stayed in my tree house, my eyes skimming the content of some book. It was difficult to concentrate on anything. I could only think of tonight, like Peter had promised, it would be special. Something in my heart told me it wasn't only the celebration.

It didn't take long before the sun had set; it was time.

Stepping out of the house, I giggled at the sight of everyone dancing around the huge campfire with their masks on.

'Come and find me!' Peter teased me with a game.

He had disguised himself, too, though it wasn't hard to tell where he was. He was the tallest boy of the Lost Boys, aside from Felix. Where was he anyway? I didn't recall seeing him after he went to talk with Peter. The faint feeling of worry crept into my heart, it vanished as soon as I saw Peter.

'Found you.' I pulled his mask away.

'We'll always find each other. Come with me.' He motioned to two chairs, peculiar in this setting. They looked like thrones that rulers in palaces would sit in.

'This evening, the king of Neverland shall be beside his queen.' Peter whispered huskily in my ear, his hot breath causing goose-bumps to arise on my skin.

King and Queen of Neverland.

Making his instrument magically appear, he placed the pipe below his lip and with a

slight smile began to blow across the top of the flute. The last time I had heard him play set me in a trance, the music so beautiful and hypnotic, but this time I couldn't hear anything. Was something wrong with me? I shot Peter a distressed look, he did too, but after a second the corner of his mouth twisted upward to his signature smirk.

'Only those who are unloved and lost can hear the pipes.'

This could only mean I was loved. And I knew Peter couldn't express his love in words, still being reluctant, but this sufficed as the traditional 'I love you.'

Occasionally, I would eat some of the tasty food, the flavours bursting in my mouth, or I would dance with the Lost Boys. But every time I would glance to Peter.

I could see him satisfied with me enjoying myself and just glimpse the look of lust creeping into his eyes. Only this time, I thought there was also love.

What would happen later would be inevitable, but we truly did love each other, and no small voice in my head was telling me otherwise. It was simply perfect.

Becoming aware of longing to feel his body against mine, our skins needing to touch, I bid every Lost Boy goodnight with a kiss on the forehead and headed back to my tree house. I hoped Peter would catch on to what I meant.

After a while the ruckus outside quieted down, everyone had retreated to their beds.

Tonight will be special.

'Indeed it will.' Peter replied to the thought I hadn't said out loud.

He spun me around and crashed his lips onto mine.

**So yeah, next chapter will be what makes the story M (I'm so nervous and excited!)**

**Since school will be taking over my life, I will only be able to update chapters on Saturdays and Sundays...(sad face)**

**Thank you to ElektraMackenzie, SwedishFanFictionLover and Kira Tsumi for your constant reviews, they always make me smile! ****As said, reviews are greatly appreciated!**

**Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hey everybody,**

**okay so a lot of things happened:**

**1. I got really sick with fever, a headache and much more...**

**2. Today is my birthday (I got a pillow with Robbie Kay on it, so I know who I'll be 'sleeping' with...**

**3. School powered me out...**

**So anyway, this is my first attempt at writing a 'love' scene, it is not good or perfect, please bear with me...**

**Hope you all like it! **

******Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Once upon a Time, just the crazy ideas in my head that I incorporated into this story.**

Chapter 23

During our kiss, when at the beginning his demanding lips moved roughly against mine, I had somehow won the silent battle for dominance, and pushed him towards the direction of the bed.

Feeling his knees hit the edge, he fell and landed softly, breaking our kiss and leaving me standing.

'Viridian green. Full of fire. I like fire.' He propped up on his elbows and I couldn't help but think of my first celebration when the reflection of the campfire in his eyes made him look dangerous and hungry.

While straddling him, I came back to my senses. This wasn't only giving in to lust and desire, but an act of true love. Why were we going so fast and wild?

Aware of my pause, Peter flipped us so that our positions were changed.

'We can take it slow,' he whispered, reading my mind.

The greed vanished from his eyes as did the burning heat that was spreading throughout my body. Lovingly cupping my face, he lowered himself so our noses were touching.

'But first I would suggest we get rid of the things in our way.' With that, he began to unbutton my blouse, exposing my breasts. Tossing the blouse aside, he trailed his fingertips across my skin and left feather-light kisses down my neck along my stomach to the hips. The feeling of his fingers and lips on my bare skin sent tingling shocks through my body.

Peter took a step back, his hand reaching down for his shirt as he removed it. My eyes took in his bare chest in the moonlight as he kicked off his shoes, his pants following soon after.

Gifting me with a mischievous grin, he pulled at my pants from my ankles and, discarding them on the floor, he crawled back into bed between my legs, not taking his eyes of mine.

A blush spread across my skin at his gaze and with each second my anticipation grew, the knots in my stomach intensifying along with the fear of doing something wrong. Peter seemed so skilled and smooth, knowing exactly what to do.

He noticed my uneasiness, and admitted in a soft voice as he lowered his lips to mine, 'You're my first.' Kissing me softly, I got lost in the emotion he poured into it. I felt everything in that one kiss; he was just as scared and unsure as I was. But he was just as needing, just as wanting, as I was for him. As he traced his lips along my jaw, he whispered into my ear.

'I am yours.' He pulled back and looked into my eyes, questioning as though he was looking for some sort of confirmation. All I felt was my heart burning; glowing.

_True Love._

'And I am yours.'

Bringing his lips back to mine, I kissed him with love and sincerity. And alone in the dead of the night, in that tree house in Neverland, we made the night ever so special. We made it glow.

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'I love you, with my whole heart.' I leaned my head on his chest, listening to his still irregular beating heart while my fingertips traced lines along his arm.

It wasn't necessary to say it; there was enough proof. Pixie dust never failed, everything had felt right since the first time Peter had looked me into the eyes. We had just truly made love; my heart was still glowing, albeit dimly as the aftereffects faded away.

Even though Peter had trouble saying the words aloud, actions spoke more than words. It didn't matter; I knew it deep down in my heart.

'I...' He gently pushed me away to sit up, staring into space.

Was he going to finally say three simple words?

He turned to me, the moonlight shining through the window illuminated his grey eyes, making them glow magically. There was a sad look on his face. Almost like regret.

The nagging voice in the back of my head was suddenly very prominent.

_Don't do something you'll regret later._

Feeling self-conscious, I used the blanket to cover my exposed skin, suddenly feeling cold. In a split second, the frown turned to a crooked grin.

_Magical, glowing eyes. 'When I own it, you will regret giving it to me.' _

Connecting the dots from my nightmare to reality, I finally understood what my dream meant. Peter blew green dust into my face before I could acknowledge what was happening.

'I'm sorry.' I heard his faint voice before I slipped into unwanted unconsciousness.

**Yeah, I know...it is only slight M, mostly T (I simply was too scared to write and backed out, leaving you only with fore and afterplay). Likely most of you were let down, but fear not! I definitely had one planned later on.**

**But sex is not what the story is about, it deals more with the relationship of Aura to specific people...**

**Reviews are always appreciated as well as tips on writing 'M'.**

**Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


	24. Chapter 24

**Hey everybody,**

**so..to make up for the last terrible chapter, here is something just for you!**

**Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Once upon a Time, only the crazy ideas in my head that I incorporated into this story.**

Chapter 24

_The only source of light in the room was the magical glowing eyes of the strange man. At the moment, they were scanning the room, as if searching for something, but as soon as I coughed involuntarily, they shot straight to me and bore into my eyes. I cowered to one corner, pressing my back against the cold stone walls and hugging my knees. Only now did I notice how weak I was; my skin was ghastly white, the bones of my arms were protruding and I could barely keep my eyelids open. I felt a comforting hand on my shoulder, a warmth spread through my body; my heart started to glow. As soon as I saw it was Peter sitting next to me, the glowing faded and the heat vanished, replaced by a dull feeling and I flinched away from him._

_'I'm sorry.'_

My eyes fluttered open, forcing me to the real world. The last thing I remembered was lying undressed in Peter's arms on a soft bed, but then why was there cool stone ground underneath me? And why did it seem so familiar?

Shivering from the chilly air and stone surrounding me, I curled up into a ball to preserve the warmth in my body. Someone had dressed me up in layers, and I was grateful.

I skimmed the area around me. Completely encircled by stones, I saw the darkness permeated by only a fraction of light. The echo of water drops dripping from the ceiling filled the never ending silence. From the looks of it, I was in a cave.

Why was I here?

Turning to my side, there I saw an entrance. Too weak to stand up, I tried crawling towards my escape, but I soon reached an edge. I was on a lone standing island, around me the abyss into the unknown. Certainly death. On the other side was my passage out, though jumping there was out of the question; it was simply too far away. I would fall to my death long before I reached it. I was trapped.

For some reason, I felt relieved to be stuck in a cave with no escape – except death – than to be in the dungeon from my dreams.

It had been three times now that the room had been the home of my unconscious thoughts, but this was the first time someone beside the creepy man was in my dream. It was him; Peter. And why did my heart fade? Why had I felt so empty; it was simply a dream…

Where was he?

I was skittish and on edge. Maybe the Lost Boys were just playing some weird joke on me and I was hidden in some secret cave Felix had found. Perhaps someone would arrive any second and help me. This could've all been possibly a game, a riddle for me to figure out.

I crawled back to the middle of the island, where I deemed it safest, and stayed there. Waiting for someone; anyone…waiting for Peter.

Several times I had slipped in and out of sleep on the uncomfortable ground before I realized things could be much easier since I was on a magical island.

_Just believe._

Suddenly, I was laying in a cozy bed with a wool blanket covering me. Platters of food appeared next to me. The smell of fresh bread and sizzling meat made my mouth water. Unladylike, I gobbled the food as fast as possible until my stomach slowly stopped growling.

I waited. And waited.

To pass the time, I made books materialize and delved into a different world for many hours. Princesses with frogs and powerful wizards with white beards made me forget my troubles for a while. But after setting the stories aside, I was beginning to get impatient. There was no way of knowing how long I had been in the cave because no light shone from outside.

I waited. And waited.

Biting my lip anxiously, I started thinking about Peter. Our kisses and touches. Last night. Something in my gut told me it would be the last time before we saw each other for a long time, but I explained myself it was only the ache I was feeling of being separated from my true love. I yearned for him, for his presence, his touch, his love.

But then…why had I flinched away from him in my dream?

And then there was Felix. We had a special bond, we had saved each other. But him not being present at the celebration gave me the feeling he was ignoring me, deliberately. I didn't want to throw away the brother-sister like friendship we had built in my time in Neverland. For some reason, I had a feeling it wasn't only based on those few days, but we had a deeper connection I couldn't explain. But I feel as though he most likely did. The way he had been looking at me since the dreamshade incident wasn't the same as before. Or maybe it was because of the disapproval of my relationship with Peter.

Just the thought of those people should've made my heart beat faster and glow bright, only this time the magical glow was very weak. Barely noticeably, like the flame was dying…

Maybe this wasn't a game after all. Something must've gone terribly wrong.

**Peter's POV:**

'I love you, with all my heart.'

As soon as she had said those powerful words, I sensed a surge of magic run its course through my veins. I was getting infinitely stronger. I could feel everything happening on my island; I had become one with my home.

It was that simple. My plan had succeeded. Now the game had to change. Making her fall in love with me had been easy, getting rid of her but still having her heart belong to me would be much trickier.

There was only one place for her to stay hidden and safe and that would be the Echo Caves. Unless she decided to jump into the dark unknown, and knowing her, she wouldn't. Satisfied with my plan for now, I blew some pixie-dust in her face, making her drift into unconsciousness.

She was still naked, and being all alone in that cave would make her body temperature drop. So, despite me wanting to gaze over her beauty, I refrained myself and imagined some warm clothes on her. With the snap of my fingers I too was wearing my usual attire.

Tucking my arms under her knees and around her waist, I was able to transport us even faster than usual to the hidden Echo Caves. All the while I kept repeating her last words in my head.

_'I love you, with all my heart.'_

She truly did, her heart glowing was the proof. And the pixie dust...for some time I chose to ignore the magical dust, saying it was only fake, something to make Aura believe, but even deep down, I knew that pixie dust never failed.

Since our picnic at the cove, my empty heart felt...something. The powers of Aura's heart were extraordinary; bringing back things lost and healing all ailments. But it was also healing me; my damaged heart.

Maybe I did feel more for Aura than I cared to admit. It did pain me to see her unhappy, and whenever we were together, I felt more alive.

_What?_

Quickly shaking the thoughts out of my head, I gently placed her body on the cold ground in the middle of the stone island. The rules of the Echo Caves were to tell them your darkest secret, but rules were always meant to be broken, and since I was now the most powerful person in Neverland, I didn't have to do anything of the sort. I pushed some strands of hair from her forehead, and she moved slightly.

I walked through the entrance, not even glancing behind as I heard Aura whimper and thrash around in her nightmare. That was what _he _would want. I could deal with the pain in my heart later.

Now I had to find the Heart of the Truest Believer.

**Reviews are always appreciated!**

**Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


	25. Chapter 25

**Hey everybody,**

**once again, life got in the way and there wasn't any time to write...:(**

**But there's a chapter for all the Felix's lovers amongst my readers!**

**Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Once upon a Time, just the crazy ideas in my head that I incorporated into this story.**

Chapter 25

**Felix's POV:**

I was still able to see Pan's feet walking towards the flickering of the campfire, leaving me to lay on the ground, defenseless and hurt. I closed my eyes to zone out from all my senses; from the pain, and I lost track of time.

At some point, the bleeding had stopped, but the burning sensation remained. I had enough strength to stand up and fight against Peter physically, but then I remembered his last words.

_Next time you defy me, I won't kill you. I'll make you watch as I kill your precious little sister._

If I would go to him and stand up for Aura in front of all the Lost Boy's presence, it would end up going wrong for everybody. Aura would get killed; the Lost Ones might actually rebel, and with Pan's plan failing, we would all die in Neverland. But he desperately needed her heart, so he wouldn't kill her. Or maybe he would; just to teach me a lesson, the consequence of breaking his rules, of my stupidity and disloyalty…how twisted this torn boy was!

Thinking it was best to keep away from Aura and the Lost Boys, especially from Pan, I decided to stand up and leave everything for now, trekking to the secret cave I had shown Aura during the 'Hide and Catch' game.

It pained me to hear the happy cheers from the Lost Ones, running around and preparing for tonight. And what would later follow. I had no power in controlling and defending Aura, saving her from a disastrous fate. The best I could do was insure her life; from far away.

When I first found the cave, it had been because I was more vigilant than others. My eyes located the stone walls hidden underneath the soft moss and thick foliage without strain, even in the dark. But now, it took me quite some time to find the entrance to my secret getaway, which was peculiar, since I had visited this cave often and could spot the opening quickly.

_Just believe._

Imagining a lit torch in my hand, I continued. Stepping into the cave made me think of the last time I had been there. With Aura. She had been the first I had brought to my escape; she would be the only one.

_'Why are you so nice to me?'_

_'I can't explain it, but since you came, everything is changing. You're affecting Neverland, it's full of life, the Boys are not crying anymore and Peter...well, he's been nicer to everyone. Normally, when you're here, you start to forget...'_

The memory had just abruptly stopped, frustrating me, as I knew there was more but not quite sure exactly what. It seemed as though the deeper I walked into the cave, the less I remembered of the precious memory I shared with Aura here.

Forgetting the painful past, to enjoy living in the present and never looking back, was precisely Neverland's purpose. But now, I questioned as to why Pan would even let Aura stay and interact with the Lost Ones, as she did the exact opposite. Or, more specifically, her heart did. If Peter wanted to save Neverland, then he would've brought her back to the Enchanted Forest, where we came from, but he didn't. Something didn't add up.

I slumped with an annoyed groan to the floor and I pressed a hand to my face where I finally felt the deep gash running from my forehead across my right side of my cheek. Some of the blood still hadn't dried and now it was on my fingertips. Only there was something else combined with my blood. A clear white fluid was repelling my bright red blood. My eyes widened in realization as to what that liquid was. Peter had explained on everyone's first day in Neverland.

_Lilium contraria. The juices of the white lily. It's not a poison like Dreamshade, which is used for a slow and agonizing death, lilium contraria will not kill you. It will make you suffer a fate more horrible than death; it contradicts the healing power of magic, you will always have the scar forever, a consequence and regret of a stupid action to always haunt you, no matter what. Once it touches your wound, there is no going back._

Peter had laced his blade with lilium contraria, which meant I was going to have the scar forever. No magic – no healing water from the Fountain of Youth – not even Aura's heart could heal me.

In the dead of the night, I silently prayed my little sister was safe just as the weak flame of my torch went out and my tired eyes eventually closed.

Not only did the excruciating pain radiate upon the right side of my face throughout the night, but a nightmare woke me from sleep.

Aura lay on the cold floor of a stone island in a cave, kicking and thrashing while sleeping. She was all alone and trapped. The darkness surrounded her; coldness seeping into her being. Lights going out…

Surely, it was only a nightmare, I kept repeating. Still terrified something could've happened to her while I was gone, I hurried back to camp. In the back of my mind, Peter's words tormented me.

_You didn't go to look for her, your father did. You were too selfish to think about Aura, and you lost her._

As much as I tried to suppress the fact, I had to admit it was all true. I had missed her growing up; of being the right big brother. Fate and Neverland had given me a second chance, and I couldn't even protect her. If Aura was physically harmed or emotionally hurt by that demon boy, I would do anything in my power to escape with her; I just needed to find a way. The rule was no one left the island without his permission. But as Pan always would say: Rules were meant to be broken. The game was going to turn on him.

When I arrived back at camp, I heard shouts from the middle of a circle the Lost Boys were making, whooping encourages like 'fight!'.

'You stole my bowl! Give it back!' Rufio yelled and held his fists up, ready to strike.

'Well, last time we went hunting, you ruined my shot!' Slightly barked back, mimicking Rufio's position.

I pushed between the Boys and just before Rufio's hand connected with Slightly's jaw, I grabbed his arm and pushed it against his back, causing him to wince in pain.

Why were they acting so hostile and eager to challenge each other over such unimportant, trivial things? The past few days with Aura had gone along peaceful, they were acting like real children with hope and a sense for family; now they were the aggressive orphans. The Lost Boys of Pan. How could they forget what Aura had showed them?

Everything felt so unnatural; maybe this wasn't a game after all. Something was going terribly wrong.

**So, yeah...**

**(Nothing related to this fanfic, but to my main villain: There is going to be a new Pirates of the Caribbean movie and Robbie Kay is already casted as the Cabin Boy! I fainted and started hyperventilating!)**

**Reviews are always appreciated!**

**Love you all,**

**aureaborealis**


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